Marian Harkin (Sligo-Leitrim, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The recent abduction of Roman Protasevich and Sofia Sapega was an act of air piracy that should shock us all. It was a brazen upfront demonstration on the part of Belarus that it will do whatever it wants on its own territory and elsewhere in its efforts to silence those who try to hold its government to account. This act further reflects the growing authoritarianism that is insidiously creeping across the world, backed and supported by other authoritarian regimes. Here in Ireland, we sit comfortably in our homes believing that we are far removed from all of this and that we are safe but the past two weeks should have given us pause for thought as an Irish airline fell victim to a state-sponsored hijacking and our entire health system was brought to its knees, the victim of a cyberattack that is likely to have originated in a country that seeks to destabilise western democracies. We may think we are insulated on our little green rock in the Atlantic, but we are not.

I fully support the Government's strongly worded motion. It does not mince words and calls out the democratic illegitimacy of the election of Lukashenko. It condemns the violence and repression perpetrated by his regime and, crucially, calls for the immediate and unconditional release of Protasevich and Sapega.

I cannot imagine and, in truth, do not even want to imagine the fear and terror felt by Protasevich and Sapega as they were dragged off that Ryanair flight. We cannot let that act go unanswered and, so far, this Government and the EU have not done so. Today, a number of Dáil colleagues and I, along with the Minister of State, met a number of Belarusian citizens who are living in Ireland. They described the fear felt by their families, friends and communities living under the repressive regime of Lukashenko and his links to Russia. I have also adopted a political prisoner, Maksim Zinevich, through the good work of Libereco, which is an organisation that works to protect human rights in Ukraine and Belarus. I urge my colleagues to do the same.

Our words today are strong but we can do more. We should look at our economic ties with Belarus and pursue the imposition of sanctions, where possible. We should look at the possibility of providing a number of scholarships for students who have been thrown out of university. We should simplify our visa application process, use our influence in international sporting organisations and, with our EU colleagues, try to support independent news agencies that have been shut down in Belarus. This matter should not be a one-week wonder. It should remain on the agendas of the Department of Foreign Affairs and the Dáil.

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