The parliamentary elections in Belarus on 20 to 25 February represented a continued undermining of democratic freedoms and a further crackdown on civil society.
Minister for Europe, Leo Docherty said:
The UK condemns the repressive and opaque conditions in which yesterday's elections in Belarus took place. The lead-up to the elections saw blatant intimidation and yet another wave of reprisals and arrests. Shockingly, this included harassment targeted at families of political prisoners, who have already experienced the trauma of their loved ones being detained for exercising fundamental freedoms.
The regime stifled genuine opposition parties and refused to invite independent OSCE election observers. These actions are at odds with Belarus' international commitments and demonstrate a clear desire to avoid transparency in the election process.
The UK urges Belarus to follow its OSCE commitments and international human rights obligations in all respects, including restoring an open civil society, to create an environment in which fresh elections which meet international standards can be held.
