Denis Naughten (Roscommon-Galway, Independent)
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164. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he will take to raise awareness through the EU of the plight of a person (details supplied) who has been beaten while being illegally detained in Belarus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3441/21]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Ireland and the EU have been vocal in condemning the appalling human rights situation in Belarus and we have repeatedly called for the immediate and unconditional release of all those unjustly detained. This stance was reiterated by the Head of the EU delegation in Minsk when he met the Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs on 18 January.

Along with our EU partners, we have maintained pressure on the authorities to respect the human rights and fundamental freedoms of the Belarusian people and to adhere to their international obligations. In this regard, the EU sent a strong message before Christmas through the imposition of a third tranche of sanctions in response to the fraudulent election and the regime's response to peaceful protest.

I can assure the Deputy that Ireland will continue to work in coordination with our EU colleagues in raising our grave concerns for the plight of those unjustly detained, including the individual in question, in Belarus at the Human Rights Council, the OSCE, meetings of UN Security Council members and other fora.