Scotland’s External Affairs and Health Secretaries are urging the UK Government to put pressure on the Lukashenko regime in Belarus to ensure the release of all political prisoners.
In a letter sent on Human Rights Day on December 10, Angus Robertson and Neil Gray said they want to highlight the “on-going human rights abuses taking place in Belarus at the hands of the Lukashenko regime”.
Health Secretary Mr Gray and Mr Robertson, External Affairs Secretary, said the Scottish Government “unequivocally condemns the injustices being suffered in Belarus and the abuses carried out by the Lukashenko regime”.
They said they welcomed the news that Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has released and pardoned 115 civilians but are concerned that about 1,400 people remain unfairly imprisoned.
They have written to Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Stephen Doughty, minister for Europe, urging them to consider further how the UK Government can exert pressure on the Lukashenko regime to ensure the release of all political prisoners.
Mr Gray and Mr Robertson wrote: “With a presidential election due to take place in Belarus in January 2025, suppression of opposition voices and repression of democratic freedom is increasing.
“We therefore would urge the Foreign Secretary and Minister for Europe, as a matter of priority, to continue to put pressure on the Lukashenko regime and those in positions of power that aid the unjust imprisonment of so many, and call for the immediate release all political prisoners, and other individuals detained in connection with their exercise of freedom of peaceful assembly in the post-election period, and stop political repression in the country.
“We welcomed the UK Government’s announcement on August 9 of further sanctions and £2.5 million in funding to support the survival of Belarusian human rights and civil society causes.
“Such organisations are vital to the fight for democratic freedoms in Belarus and this support will bolster the courageous individuals who work, often under extremely difficult circumstances, to bring about change in Belarus.”
Mr Gray and Mr Robertson also urged the UK Government to sanction a number of individuals they describe as complicit in the unjust detention of citizens.
Belarus was the scene of mass protests in 2020 as Lukashenko retained power after an election condemned in the West as fraudulent.
He has been the country’s president for 30 years and thousands were detained as his government tried to stifle dissent.
The letter comes after Scottish ministers made a gesture of support for political prisoners in Belarus earlier this year by taking on “godparenthood” for five people imprisoned there.
A campaign by the German/Swiss organisation Libereco has encouraged European politicians to take over “godparenthood” for political prisoners there.
In January this year, Scotland’s then first minister, Humza Yousaf, become the 400th European politician – and the first leader of a government – to do so, becoming a godparent of rock musician Dzmitryi Halavacz.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: “We have sanctioned over 200 Belarusian individuals and entities to date, for both the human rights situation in Belarus, and Lukashenko’s support for Putin’s full-scale invasion, including four penal colony commanders who contributed to human rights violations and the repression of civil society.
“The UK is taking every opportunity, both publicly and privately, to urge the Belarusian regime to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners and protect the human rights of its citizens. We will not hesitate to take further action as appropriate.”
