NATO and Belarus

Speaking to reporters on 19 July, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the arrest of Belarusian opposition leader Alexandr Kozulin was “a flagrant violation” of Belarus’ commitments to NATO.

Speaking in Sofia on 27 April, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer called on the Belarusian authorities to immediately release the opposition leader, Alexander Milinkevich, who was reportedly jailed today.

The North Atlantic Council condemns and deplores the use of force by the Belarusian authorities against civilian demonstrators peacefully protesting against the violation of their right to a democratic election process, as well as the arbitrary detentions of Belarusian citizens and foreign nationals before and after the 19th March election for expressing their political views.

On behalf of NATO, I condemn the way in which the elections in Belarus have been conducted. As international observers, including the OSCE, have testified, this electoral process did not meet democratic standards.