Written question asked by John Howell (Conservative) on Tuesday, 11 May 2021, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 13 May 2021. It was answered by Wendy Morton (Conservative) on Tuesday, 18 May 2021 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Belarus: Elections

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of resolution 2371 on the urgent need for electoral reform in Belarus passed at the Council of Europe on 21 April 2021; and whether the Government plans to take steps following the passing of that resolution.

Answer: The UK Government welcomes the important work that Lord Blencathra has undertaken as a Rapporteur for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, on the need for widespread and achievable electoral reform in Belarus. For too long the Belarusian regime has deprived its people of their democratic and political rights. Since last year's fraudulent Presidential elections, the UK Government has been at the forefront of international efforts to hold the Belarusian authorities to account, including through invoking the OSCE Moscow Mechanism. The UK and our partners have repeatedly called on the Belarusian authorities to implement all of the recommendations in Professor Benedek's subsequent report into electoral fraud and human rights violations. This includes the holding of new Presidential elections that meet international standards and are subject to unhindered monitoring by credible independent observers, including the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The UK Government continues to urge the Belarusian authorities to support the calls for urgent electoral and democratic reform and the growth of civil society, to ensure the rightful democratic aspirations of its people are met.

Secondary information