International Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners in Belarus

That this House notes the International Day of Solidarity with Political Prisoners in Belarus on 21 May designated by the Viasna Human Rights Centre and further promoted by the Office of the National Leader of Belarus Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya; highlights that 21 May was chosen in memory of Vitold Ashurak, a political activist who died in a penal colony in Belarus on 21 May 2021; is aware that Viasna has now recognised nearly 1500 people as political prisoners in Belarus and has documented a daily average of 17 detentions; highlights the case of the founder of Viasna, Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, himself now a political prisoner sentenced to a 10 year term; further highlights the case of journalist Raman Pratasevich, detained in 2021 after his flight from Athens to Vilnius was forced to land by the Belarusian authorities and sentenced to 8 years in prison; condemns the death in a penal colony on 7 May of Mikalai Klimovich, jailed for posting an online caricature of dictator Aliaksandr Lukashenka; expresses concern about the welfare of former presidential contender Viktar Babaryka, hospitalised in April after reportedly being beaten in prison; highlights several politically-motivated trials that are still ongoing, including that of Yana Pinchuk, whose trial began on 10 April and about which there has been no information since; and calls on the Lukashenka regime to release all political prisoners, respect human rights, and enable a transition to democracy.