mr president a large number of opposition figures including former presidential candidates but also journalists and human rights defenders were arrested after the events of nineteen december twenty ten in minsk and they have been kept in kgb detention centres ever since
there have been reports of torture and of forced confessions at the hands of the kgb
these developments fit into a larger pattern of repression and politically motivated trials against opposition activists civil society the media and human rights defenders that continues to this day
we urgently call upon the belarusian authorities to allow political opposition civil society free expression and media pluralism
the rule of law needs to be adhered to
the credibility of the belarusian authorities would be won if investigations carried out in line with international standards with international experts were to start right away
we should consider restrictive measures including economic sanctions on belarusian government-owned companies but we hope this will not be necessary
we would welcome it if more countries in the international community were to join the call for such actions because the status quo is unacceptable
