MEPs have adopted three European Parliament resolutions raising concerns about human rights in Nicaragua, Belarus and Burkina Faso.
In a text on Nicaragua, MEPs condemned what they described as “systematic repression”, including arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances, and called for the release of political prisoners including Carlos Brenes and Salvadora del Socorro Martínez Aburto, the parliamentary press service informed.
They also called for an investigation into the death of Brooklyn Rivera and for his remains to be returned to his family.
The Parliament urged Nicaragua to comply with the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and backed efforts to pursue accountability, including a possible referral to the International Criminal Court.
MEPs also called on the Council and the Commission to suspend the EU–Central America Association Agreement “in respect of Nicaragua”, and urged the EU to ensure no EU or multilateral funds support the Nicaraguan authorities and to expand targeted sanctions to include President Daniel Ortega and his inner circle.
Calls for releases in Belarus and Burkina Faso
In a separate resolution on Belarus, MEPs highlighted the case of Aliaksandra Pulinovich, who was detained in 2024 aged 16 and sentenced to more than 10 years in prison after being accused of involvement in anti-war graffiti in the “Black Nightingales” case, the European Parliament said.
They called for Pulinovich’s immediate and unconditional release, along with all political prisoners, and accused Belarusian authorities of using anti-terrorism and anti-extremism laws to criminalise anti-war expression and silence dissent, including among young people.
The Parliament also urged Belarus to end torture, incommunicado detention, denial of medical care and restrictions on access to lawyers and family members, and called for investigations into deaths in custody and allegations of torture.
The Belarus resolution was adopted by 504 votes in favour, four against and 55 abstentions.
In a third resolution on Burkina Faso, MEPs called on the authorities to uphold freedom of association, assembly and expression after civil society organisations were dissolved and suspended, and said press freedom was “severely endangered.”
They called for restrictions on media to be lifted and for journalists to be allowed to work freely and safely, and urged independent investigations into allegations of crimes and human rights violations including arbitrary detention and enforced disappearances.
MEPs also urged Burkina Faso’s authorities to reverse their decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court.
The Burkina Faso resolution was adopted by 476 votes in favour, 11 against and 75 abstentions.
