Ad Hoc Committee on Belarus
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Ad Hoc Working Group on Belarus was appointed in October 1998 in order to assist in the development of democracy in Belarus and facilitate national reconciliation.
The main aim of the Working Group has been to facilitate dialogue between the Government and opposition of Belarus in an attempt to promote free and fair election processes and aid in the development of democracy.
In all of its meetings, the Group has stressed the importance of participation in the OSCE process and the need to find peaceful, inclusive solutions to the country's various political problems.
Members:
- Ms. Uta Zapf, Chair (Germany)
- Ms. Vilija Aleknaite Abramikiene (Lithuania)
- Mr. Claudio D'Amico (Italy)
- Mr. Morten Hoeglund (Norway)
- Mr. Christian Holm (Sweden)
- Mr. Pawel Poncyljusz (Poland)
- Mr. Serhiy Shevchuk (Ukraine)
- Mr. Karl-Georg Wellmann (Germany)
Side events focus on gender and migration, human rights in Belarus
BELGRADE, 8 July 2011 – OSCE PA Special Representative on Gender Issues Hedy Fry (Canada) opened Thursday’s well-attended Working Lunch on Gender Issues by underlining the importance of women’s economic independence for the wellbeing of all OSCE countries.
“Some women are less equal than others,” Dr. Fry said, emphasizing that female migrants, especially, are vulnerable to trafficking, prostitution and poverty.The OSCE PA’s Special Representative for Migration, Kathleen Ferrier (The Netherlands) elaborated on the link between migration and gender and encouraged parliamentarians to promote legislation that gives migrants the ability to participate fully in society.
Zapf addresses PACE’s Political Committee on Belarus
COPENHAGEN, 26 January 2011 – The Chair of the OSCE PA Ad Hoc Working Group on Belarus, Uta Zapf (Germany), addressed the Political Affairs Committee of the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg on 24 January. The address was made within the framework of the Parliamentary Troika – which includes Uta Zapf as the Chair of the OSCE PA Ad Hoc Working Group on Belarus, Jacek Protasiewicz, Chairman of the European Parliament Delegation on Relations with Belarus, and Chair of the PACE sub-committee on Belarus Sinikka Hurskainen.
The discussion focused on a PACE report on Belarus being discussed this week, and the recent EP resolution on Belarus, which recommended economic sanctions and an extensive travel ban – while stepping up co-operation with civil society.
OSCE PA Working Group calls for national reconciliation in Belarus
COPENHAGEN, 11 January 2011 – The Chair of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Ad Hoc Working Group on Belarus, Uta Zapf, today called for dialogue among political forces in Belarus. Ms. Zapf regretted the repressive measures taken in the wake of last month's presidential election, resulting in a high numbers of political prisoners, and called for their immediate release.
Ms. Zapf, a member of the German parliament, strongly supported the Belarusian opposition’s decision to establish a national Co-ordinating Council. She appealed to the authorities to cease harassment of opposition politicians, media and civil society representatives.
Europe's parliamentarians unite to condemn executions in Belarus
COPENHAGEN, 24 March 2010 – The heads of three European parliamentary bodies dealing with Belarus have firmly condemned the execution of Andrei Zhuk and Vasily Yuzepchuk which, according to human rights organisations, took place in Belarus last week in complete secrecy and which has yet to be confirmed officially by the authorities.
The statement was made by Sinikka Hurskainen, Jacek Protasiewicz and Uta Zapf, who head the bodies dealing with Belarus for the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the European Parliament and the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.
Working Group on Belarus visits Minsk with President Soares
MINSK, 12 March 2009 -- The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s Working Group on Belarus visited Minsk from 9 to 12 March. The visit was led by PA President Joao Soares.
Members of the Working Group, chaired by Uta Zapf, Germany, are holding high-level meetings including with Foreign Minister Sergei Martynov, the Speakers of the two houses of Parliament, Vladimir Andreichenko and Boris Baturoi, the OSCE PA Delegation Headed by Valery Ivanov, and senior of Information, Ministry of Justice, as well as representatives of civil society and the international community.
OSCE PA Working Group on Belarus meets in Copenhagen to plan new activities
Led by the Chair of the Working Group, Uta Zapf, Germany, the other participants were Cecilia Wigstrom, Sweden, Morten Hoeglund, Norway and Ambassador Hans-Jochen Schmidt, Head of the OSCE Office in Minsk, the capital of Belarus.
The participants in the Working Group expressed a wish to visit Minsk this spring and to follow-up on previous joint initiatives between the Group and the Belarusian parliament.
The Working Group also met in Copenhagen in January last year and then held a joint Seminar with the Belarusian delegation in Minsk in March. The seminar focused on Exploring the Opportunities for Belarus within the European Neighbourhood Policy.