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Six years after the rigged presidential election held in Belarus on 9 August 2020, Lithuania, alongside the international community, continues to refuse to recognize the outcome of the election and stands in solidarity with the people of Belarus, who, even today, despite repression, are defending the principles of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. The regime has responded to the Belarusian people’s peaceful demand to freely choose their country’s future with mass repression, political persecution, and the dismantling of independent media and civil society, which continue to this day.

Over the past six years, no fundamental changes have taken place in Belarus. Despite occasional gestures by the regime, the situation in Belarus remains essentially unchanged. The repressive apparatus remains unchanged, and the issue of political prisoners has not been resolved. Political persecution continues, and the human rights situation continues to deteriorate.

The policies pursued by the Belarusian regime directly impact the security of Lithuania and Europe. Belarus remains an accomplice to Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and carries out hybrid attacks against European Union member states, including the promotion of illegal migration for political purposes.

Lithuania calls on the Belarusian regime to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners, end the repression against Belarusian society, cease supporting Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, and stop hybrid attacks. We will continue to seek to hold those responsible for human rights violations, repression, and complicity in Russia’s aggression accountable. We will continue to support Belarusian civil society, independent media, human rights defenders, and democratic forces led by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. We will also continue to support a principled European Union response in accordance with agreed guidelines, as well as international efforts to further isolate the regime and strengthen support for a democratic future in Belarus. 

A democratic, independent, and peaceful Belarus is in the interests of the people of Belarus and the long-term interests of Lithuania and all of Europe.