EU Demands To Reinstate Former Political Prisoners

In 2015, human right in Belarus continued to be systematically violated.

This is stated in the Belarus-related chapter of the report on the situation with human rights in the world, approved by the Council of the European Union on September 20.

In 2015, “no legislative changes” happened in Belarus “for easing restrictions on freedom of assembly, association and the media," the BelaPAN news agency quotes the document.

The report also notes that the amendments to the law on the media, which came into force in January 2015, tightened the state control over the dissemination of information on the Internet and traditional media.

The document mentions the fact of the release of all political prisoners in Belarus on August 22, 2015.

"The EU welcomed this long awaited step and decided to suspend the restrictive measures against Belarus. The EU continues to call for the restoration of former political prisoners in the civil and political rights," - the report says.