The Belarusian people have the right to freedom of choice choice and democratic election to express their will. The Belarusian authorities must refrain from violence, and they must respect their citizens’ human rights, namely, the freedom of speech and assembly, stressed Inese Ikstena, Head of the Latvian Delegation to the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), on Monday, 10 August, after the Belarusian presidential election.

“In the upcoming meetings of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, its members have to discuss the developments in Belarus, supporting the democratic efforts of the Belarusian people,” stated Ikstena.

The OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and OSCE Parliamentary Assembly delegations did not observe the presidential election in Belarus on 9 August, because they did not receive timely invitations from the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Parliament of Belarus; therefore, it is impossible to provide an opinion as to whether the election process was democratic and lawful, expressed the Head of the Latvian Delegation.

Saeima Press Service