Barry Ward (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)
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66. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the current situation in Belarus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2079/25]

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is deeply concerned about the deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus, and Alexander Lukashenko regime’s continued persecution and intimidation of all segments of Belarusian society. The Lukashenko regime has consistently used state sponsored crack-downs to stifle opposition voices and shore up its own illegitimate authoritarianism. It is clear that this unprecedented level of repression is intended to stop any criticism of the regime.

Based on the fraudulent 2020 and 2024 elections, I assume that the Belarusian presidential election scheduled to take place on 26 January 2025 will be neither free nor fair, and will not result in any change in regime in Minsk. I regret that the Lukashenko regime has prevented an election observation mission from the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe / Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) access to key stages of the forthcoming election process, making meaningful observation of the 2025 presidential election impossible.

Ireland’s response to the situation in Belarus has focused on working bilaterally, at EU and multilateral level to: highlight concerns regarding the overall political climate, lack of respect for human rights and freedom of expression, and persecution of political opponents; support accountability initiatives; support the democratic opposition in exile, and; support the courageous human rights defenders and civil society organisations who continue their important work despite the increasing risks.

For example, in 2024, Ireland co-hosted a side event at the Human Rights Council entitled “Belarus: Crackdown on Civil Society Continues”, to hear from the Special Rapporteur on Belarus and representatives of civil society organisations on the needs of civil society and the human rights situation in Belarus.

My Department has provided bilateral funding to Viasna, an NGO which provides medical, psychological and humanitarian support to current and former political prisoners. My Department has also provided funding to several other Belarusian civil society projects, including in support of independent media, through grants provided by the European Endowment for Democracy.

In response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine, the EU has adopted a wide range of sanctions targeting both Russia and Belarus. These are the most expansive and hard-hitting sanctions in EU history, with over 2,000 individuals and entities now subject to EU restrictive measures.

The current measures targeting Belarus build on the restrictive measures first introduced by the EU following the presidential election in Belarus in August 2020 and the crackdown on peaceful protesters, democratic opposition and journalists that followed.

On 29 June 2024, the EU adopted further measures against Belarus, in view of its involvement in Russia's illegal war of aggression against Ukraine, with the aim of further aligning with the Russia regime and combatting circumvention. Ireland will continue to support measures to combat circumvention and maintain pressure on Russia, including by limiting its access to sensitive items and battlefield goods.

In December 2024, the Foreign Affairs Council agreed proposals to add further listings to the list of persons subject to EU restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus and the involvement of Belarus in the Russian aggression against Ukraine.

The Government continues to support strong coordinated EU sanctions and other measures, including action at the UN, to hold Belarus accountable for its violations of human rights and the rule of law, and its complicity in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.