The Coordination Council was represented at the annual session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, held in The Hague on July 4-8.
According to the Coordination Council, the delegation included its chair, Artsiom Brukhan, and Aliaksandra Mamayeva.
One of the main outcomes of the session was the establishment of the informal group “For a Democratic Belarus” within the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, bringing together 38 delegates from 17 countries. The group remains open to new members. The Coordination Council believes it will serve as an important platform for advancing the Belarus agenda through briefings, promoting initiatives of the Belarusian delegation and increasing attention to the situation in Belarus within the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
The Coordination Council representatives also held meetings with OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Pere Joan Pons Sampietro and Secretary General Roberto Montella. The meetings focused on the continued participation of the Belarusian democratic forces’ delegation in the work of the Assembly.
Another important outcome was the adoption of a supplementary item on Belarus, entitled “The Situation in Belarus in the Context of Regional Security, Transnational Repression and Human Rights.” The document was unanimously approved by the Committee on Democracy, Human Rights and Humanitarian Questions. The Belarusian delegation took part in drafting the document. Belarus is also mentioned in the committee’s resolution.
“Our work in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly is another important step in defending the interests of Belarus and Belarusians on the international stage. The creation of the ‘For a Democratic Belarus’ group gives us the opportunity to work systematically with parliamentarians from different countries and to ensure that Belarus remains at the centre of international attention,” Mamayeva said.
In addition, the session featured the event “Prioritising the Human Dimension in Ukraine Ceasefire Negotiations: People First,” at which Ales Bialiatski spoke. The discussion addressed the release of Ukrainian prisoners and civilian hostages, as well as Belarusian and Russian political prisoners.
