General documents - Statement on the appeal in the trial of the Belarusian activist Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk - Delegation for relations with Belarus

• by MEP Malgorzata GOSIEWSKA, Chair, on behalf of the Bureau of the EP Delegation for Relations with Belarus

Brussels, 27 November 2024 - It is with deep concern that we received new information today about the appeal in the trial of prominent Belarusian opposition figure Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, scheduled for 13 December 2024. Today, we stand united in solidarity with Palina's husband, Andrei Sharenda, and her children, Slavamir and Stach.

Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, an activist with the civil campaign European Belarus, was arrested on 3 January 2021 in front of her four-year-old son. Even behind bars, she has continued to fight for her rights and to defend her civic position against the Lukashenka regime.

After an initial two-year sentence, Palina was tried three more times in the penal colony, with each trial adding another year to her sentence. Her imprisonment has become virtually endless. Over the past four years, she has been repeatedly placed in solitary confinement.

While in prison, Palina's health has deteriorated significantly. She has developed chronic, incurable pancreatitis, which, under prison conditions, is effectively a death sentence.

The latest verdict was delivered on 14 October, Belarus's Mother's Day. Following the appeal, Palina will once again be sent to a penal colony, where the persecution will continue, and her sentence will likely be extended. Given her current state of health, it is uncertain whether Palina will survive another term of imprisonment.

We condemn in the strongest possible terms the systemic and widespread persecution by the neo-totalitarian Lukashenka regime against people in Belarus, which may amount to crimes against humanity. We urge the EU and its Member States to continue working toward the immediate and unconditional release of Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk and all political prisoners held illegally in Belarusian detention facilities, where they are exposed to torture and ill-treatment.

We reiterate our unwavering commitment to continue working with Belarusian democratic forces to maximise pressure on the Lukashenka regime by diplomatic means. We call on the EU and its partners to implement an effective system of sanctions against the Lukashenka regime.



For further information contact: Eastern Partnership and Russia Unit, tel. +32 2 283 26 40 e-mail: D-BY@europarl.europa.eu