European Union welcomes release of political prisoners

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini and Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn have made a joint statement. The release of the political prisoners testifies to great progress in the improvement of the EU-Belarus relations, they noted.

“The release of Mikalai Statkevich, Mikalai Dzyadok, Yury Rubtsou, Yauhen Vaskovich and Artsyom Prakapenka is an expected step forward. They are free now,” the EU representatives said.

Ex-presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich is ‘an example of the endless work and many people’s commitments in the democratization of Belarus,” BelaPAN quotes Mogherini and Hahn.

The Belarusian authorities are expected to lift all the restrictions imposed on the released prisoners’ civil and political rights, the EU representatives announced.

Photo: Reuters