Peter Cleere (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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141. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report the exchange of views with the Belarusian opposition leader that took place at the EU General Affairs Council meeting which he attended in Brussels on 18 March 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15342/25]

Eamon Scanlon (Sligo-Leitrim, Fianna Fail)
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149. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus and the continuing persecution and intimidation campaigns against all segments of Belarusian society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15340/25]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
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168. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the steps he is taking to support democracy and human rights in Belarus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15468/25]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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170. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his assessment of the current situation in Belarus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15334/25]

Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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188. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the efforts by Ireland to secure the release of political prisoners held in Belarus; his views on the current political situation in Belarus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15193/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 141, 149, 168, 170 and 188 together.

Last Tuesday, 25th March, marked Belarus Freedom Day. I would like to take this opportunity to reaffirm Ireland’s commitment to supporting the Belarusian democratic movement in its pursuit of a democratic future for all Belarusians.

On 26 January, together with other EU Foreign Affairs, I met with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the exiled leader of the Belarusian democratic movement, in Brussels ahead of the Foreign Affairs Council. At that meeting, I reiterated Ireland's commitment to continuing to speak out against the Lukashenko regime and to support the rights of the Belarusian population and the Belarusian democratic movement.

I also conveyed the support and good wishes of the people of Ireland, noting the close ties of friendship that Ms Tsikhanouskaya holds for Ireland from her childhood visits to our country.

Ireland reiterated its support for the democratic opposition in Belarus at a working breakfast with Ms Tsikhanouskaya in the margins of the General Affairs Council on 18 March 2025.

Ireland remains extremely concerned at the ongoing erosion of human rights and democracy in Belarus.

As was the case with the fraudulent 2020 and 2024 elections, the Belarusian sham presidential election on 26 January 2025 can be considered neither free nor fair.

We are deeply conscious that the people of Belarus have once again been denied a real voice in the governing of their country.

The relentless and unprecedented repression of human rights, restrictions on political participation and access to independent media in Belarus deprived the electoral process of any legitimacy.

It is clear that this unprecedented level of repression is intended to stifle freedom of expression and prevent any criticism of the regime.

Ireland’s response to the situation in Belarus has focused on working bilaterally, at EU, and multilateral level, to support civil society and the democratic opposition in exile and to highlight concerns regarding the Lukashenko regime including its consistent use of state sponsored crack-downs to stifle opposition voices and shore up its own illegitimate authoritarianism.

We will continue to support strong coordinated EU sanctions to hold Belarus accountable for its violations of human rights and the rule of law, and its complicity in Russia’s ongoing illegal invasion of Ukraine.

And we will continue to support the democratic opposition in exile, and the people of Belarus in their legitimate aspirations for freedom and democracy.