Since October 2020, the EU has&nbsp;progressively imposed restrictive measures&nbsp;against Belarus in response to the fraudulent nature&nbsp; presidential elections in&nbsp;2020, and the&nbsp;intimidation and violent repression&nbsp;of peaceful protesters, opposition members and journalists.&nbsp;

The democratic opposition, including the opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, was awarded the&nbsp;2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

The Belarusian regime has became an ally&nbsp;with Russia’s illegal war on Ukraine. This includes the so-called referendum reinstating the country’s nuclear status, but also that Belarus has allowed Russian troops and weapons to move through its territory, use its airspace, refuel and store military ammunition.

Therefore, the EU has extended the sanctios package against Russia to Belarus. The EP has recently called that "all EU sanctions issued against Russia must be strictly mirrored for Belarus and implemented appropriately".

EU - Belarus

The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named in honour of the Soviet physicist and political dissident Andrei Sakharov, is awarded each year by the European Parliament. It was set up in 1988 to honour individuals and organisations defending human rights and fundamental freedoms.

Each nominee must have the support of at least 40 MEPs, and each individual Member may support only one nominee. Signed nominations accompanied by supporting evidence are then assessed in a joint meeting of the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET), the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) and the Committee on Development (DEVE). A shortlist of three candidates is drawn up through a vote by AFET and DEVE committees, and then submitted to the Conference of Presidents for a final vote. The winner is announced in October, and the award ceremony takes place in December at the plenary sitting in Strasbourg.

The nominations for the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought are:

The democratic opposition in Belarus, represented by the Coordination Council, initiative of brave women and political and civil society figures, nominated by EPP, S&amp;D, Renew Europe 
Mgr Najeeb Moussa Michaeel, Archbishop of Mosul, Iraq nominated by ID 
Guapinol activists and Berta Caceres in Honduras, nominated by Greens/EFA, GUE/NGL 
The democratic opposition in Belarus, represented by Sviatlana Tsikhanouska, nominated by ECR 
Polish LGBTI activists Jakub Gawron, Paulina Pajak, Paweł Preneta and Kamil Maczuga, founders of the website Atlas of Hate, nominated by Malin Björk, Terry Reintke, Marc Angel, Rasmus Andresen and 39 other MEPs.

The democratic opposition in Belarus has been awarded the 2020 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.

Democratic Opposition in Belarus, Sakharov Prize 2020

Over the past years, there has been some progress in EU-Belarus relations.

The bilateral relationship will be strengthened through the EU-Belarus Partnership Priorities, which are currently being negotiated. This will set the strategic framework for cooperation in the coming years. Tangible steps taken by Belarus to respect universal freedoms, the rule of law, and human rights, including the freedoms of speech, expression and of media, and labour rights, will remain fundamental criteria for shaping the EU’s policy towards Belarus.

On 9 August 2020, presidential elections took place in the Republic of Belarus. Credible reports from domestic observers show that the process did not meet the international standards expected of a participating state of the OSCE (Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe).

EU - Belarus (2019-2020)

On 24 and 25 May, EU leaders met physically in Brussels to discuss the most pressing issues.

On 24 May leaders discussed the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk and subsequent arrest of anti-government activist and journalist Roman Protasevich. EU leaders invited Council to adopt further sanctions and necessary measures to ban overflight of EU airspace by Belarusian airlines and prevent access to EU airports of flights operated by such airlines. They also called on all EU-based carriers to avoid overflight of Belarus. Leaders also had the state of play of the coordination of the EU's response to COVID-19 on the agenda. They held a strategic debate on Russia and discussed the EU's relations with the UK, following the entry into force of the EU-UK trade and cooperation agreement on 1 May 2021.

Special European Council, 24-25 May 2021

Event in the European Parliament to support to Belarusian political prisoners in the presence of EP President Roberta METSOLA

Event in the European Parliament to support to Belarusian political prisoners

EP President Roberta METSOLA meets with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA Leader of Belarusian democratic opposition

High-Level Conference - Standing with the People of Belarus

Strasbourg's Plenary session through the lens . Week 11.

Signature Ceremony #EPstandsBYyou - Friends of Democratic Belarus

Members of the EP Conference of Presidents meet with  Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of Belarusian democratic opposition forces

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with the guests of  the International Women's Day

EP Plenary session - Need for targeted support to EU regions bordering Russia, Belarus and Ukraine

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA Leader of Belarusian democratic opposition

EP Plenary session - The need for actions to address the continued oppression and fake elections in Belarus

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of the Belarusian democratic forces and Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus

Delegation for relations with Belarus Constitutive meeting

Belarus postcards to political prisoners

EP Plenary session - Debates on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law (Rule 144)

FEMM Committee - Situation of Women in Belarus

EP Plenary session - Formal sitting- Address by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, exiled Belarusian opposition leader

Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, exiled Belarusian opposition leader

Othmar KARAS meets with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, exiled Belarusian opposition leader

EP Plenary session.- Relations with Belarus

EP Plenary session - The further repressions against the people of Belarus, in particular the cases of Andrzej Poczobut and Ales Bialiatski

Support to Belarusian political prisoners - #EPStandsBYyou #DemocraticBelarus

During the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg (4-7 October 2021), MEPs debate on the Situation in Belarus after one year of protests and their violent repression. First part of the debate.

The situation in Belarus after one year of protests and their violent repression: MEPs debate (part 1/2)

This Infoclip illustrates the relationships between the European Union and the other country in the world in the perspective of the SOTEU 2021 (US, Turkey, Russian Federation, People's Republic of China, Brexit, G7).

Infoclip: Europe in the world

David SASSOLI, EP President pays an official visit to Vilnius, in Lithuania where he meets with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Sakharov laureate 2020 and Belarus opposition leader (recorded 17/08).

Official visit by David SASSOLI, EP President to Lithuania: meeting with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Sakharov laureate 2020 and Belarus opposition leader

Members of the EP Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) hold an exchange of views on the migratory pressure on the Lithuanian border with Belarus in the European Parliament in Brussels with Ylva JOHANSSON, Commissioner for Home Affairs, Agnė BILOTAITĖ, Minister of Interior of Lithuania, Luc DEVIGNE, Deputy Managing Director for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional cooperation and OSCE, European External Action Service and Fabrice LEGGERI, Executive Director FRONTEX.

Migratory pressure on the Lithuanian border with Belarus in LIBE/AFET Committees: introductory remarks by the Chairs

Exchange of views in joint debate on the Migratory pressure on the Lithuanian border with Belarus between EP Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and EP Committee on Foreign Affairs. Interventions from JOHANSSON, Ylva, Commissioner for Home Affairs, LEGGERI, Fabrice, Executive Director FRONTEX, DEVIGNE, LUC, Deputy Managing Director for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional cooperation and OSCE, European External Action Service and ABRAMAVICIOUS, Arnoldas, Vice Minister of Internal of Lithuania.

EP Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs / EPCommittee on Foreign Affairs Migratory pressure on the Lithuanian border with Belarus

Media personnel have been significantly targeted by Belarusian authorities. The "European Parliament Platform on the fight against impunity in Belarus" (initiative launched by the Subcommittee on Human Rights, Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Delegation for Relations with Belarus and the EURONEST Parliamentary Assembly) host in the European Parliament in Brussels a meeting specifically on the human rights situation of media in Belarus. During the meeting diverse speakers explain the situation on the ground : Stanislav IVASHKEVICH , independent journalist and head of investigations at Belsat TV, Natalia BELIKOVA representative of the 'Belarus in Focus Information Office', Adam MICHNIK, editor-in-chief at Gazeta Wyborcza. The Chair of the Subcommittee on Human Rights Maria ARENA (S&D, BE) and the European Parliament’s standing rapporteur on Belarus, Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS (Renew, LT) make a statement on the situation.

The situation of journalists in Belarus: extracts of the meeting and statement by Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS (Renew, LT) and by Maria ARENA (S&D, BE) - Platform against impunity on Belarus

During the plenary session (7-10 June 2021) in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on systematic repression in Belarus and its consequences for European security following abductions from an EU civilian plane intercepted by Belarusian authorities: opening statement by Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of a stronger Europe in the World.

Systematic repression in Belarus and its consequences for European security following abductions from an EU civilian plane intercepted by Belarusian authorities: closing statement by Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, European Union's HRVP

During the plenary session (7-10 June 2021) in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on systematic repression in Belarus and its consequences for European security following abductions from an EU civilian plane intercepted by Belarusian authorities.

Systematic repression in Belarus and consequences for EU security following abductions from an EU civilian plane intercepted by Belarusian authorities: MEPs debate (part 2/2)

After a Ryanair flight was forced to land in Minsk and a Belarusian journalist, Raman Pratasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega, was arrested, MEPs and Josep BORRELL, Vice-President of the Commission/High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, debated the EU’s response during the plenary session of the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Statement by Josep BORRELL, on the EU Council request to take targeted economic sanctions, Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS (Renew, LT), Anna FOTYGA (ECR, PL), Andrius KUBILIUS (EPP, LT), Pedro MARQUES (S&D, PT) and Markéta GREGOROVÁ (Greens/EFA, CZ).

Repression in Belarus and abductions from an EU civilian plane: extracts from the debate

Systematic repression in Belarus and consequences for EU security following abductions from an EU civilian plane intercepted by Belarusian authorities: MEPs debate (part 1/2)

During the plenary session (7-10 June 2021) in the European Parliament in Strasbourg, MEPs debate on systematic repression in Belarus and its consequences for European security following abductions from an EU civilian plane intercepted by Belarusian authorities: opening statement by Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of a stronger Europe in the World. This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

Systematic repression in Belarus and consequences for EU security following abductions from an EU civilian plane intercepted by Belarusian authorities: opening statement by Josep BORRELL FONTELLES, European Union's HRVP

David SASSOLI, EP President, called on airports across the EU to exhibit photos of the detained blogger and journalist Roman Protasevich as a mark of solidarity. The image of Roman is now dispayed in Brussels Airport (Zaventem). Views of the departure hall with the call for the realease of Roman Protasevich and Sofia Sapega who are being held by Belarus authorities.

Display of the photo of Roman Protasevich, detained blogger and journalist, in Brussels Airport (Belgium)

Exchange of views at the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs in association with the Delegation for relations with Belarus on the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk Belarusand the detention by Belarusian authorities of journalist Raman Pratasevich and Sofia Sapega. MEPs exchange with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, representative of the Belarus opposition and Michael SIEBERT, Managing Director for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional cooperation and OSCE of the European External Action Service.

Exchange of views on the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk Belarus and the detention by Belarusian authorities of journalist Raman Pratasevich and Sofia Sapega -AFET Committee

Exchange of views at the EP Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) in association with the Delegation for relations with Belarus on the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk Belarus and the detention by Belarusian authorities of journalist Raman Pratasevich and Sofia Sapega. Opening statement by David MCALLISTER (EPP, DE), Chair of the AFET Committee, Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, representative of the Belarus opposition and Michael SIEBERT, Managing Director for Russia, Eastern Partnership, Central Asia, Regional cooperation and OSCE of the European External Action Service.This transcription speech is the result of an automatic process. Check against delivery.

Exchange of views on the forced landing of a Ryanair flight in Minsk Belarus in AFET Committee: opening and statement by Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA

David SASSOLI, EP President, participates to the Special European Council on the 24 May 2021. On the 25 May, he gives a press conference on his contribution to the Council and comments among other things, the sanctions after that a plane was diverted to Belarus to arrest a dissident journalist and the situation in the Mediterranean.

Special European Council, 24-25 May 2021: arrival of David SASSOLI, EP President, and roundtable (24/05) and extracts from the press conference (25/05)

Formal opening of the 9th Ordinary Session of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly in Brussels. Greeting addresses by the Observers to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly: Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Democratic Representative of Belarus, Christa SCHWENG, President of the European Economic and Social Committee, Aleksandra DULKIEWICZ, Mayor of Gdansk (Poland) and CORLEAP Bureau member and Irina SUKHY and Sofia STRIVE, Co-Chairs of the Eastern Partnership - Civil Society Forum. The Euronest Parliamentary Assembly is a parliamentary forum to promote political association and further economic integration between the European Union and the EU's Eastern European partners.

Ninth Ordinary Session of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly: Greeting addresses by the Observers to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly

Members of the Subcommittee on Human Rights (DROI) jointly with the Members of the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) and in association with the Delegation for relations with Belarus and the Delegation to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly launches a novel platform to fight against impunity in Belarus. This unique platform will provide an opportunity for regular review on the human rights situation in Belarus, and collaboration between regional and international actors with umbrella Belarusian human rights organisations. Statements by Maria ARENA (S&D, BE), DROI Chair.

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