Czech Helsinki Committee chair: EU needs to discuss human rights with Belarus

The chairwoman of the Czech Helsinki Committee, Anna Šabatová, has said that the European Union should not tolerate the abuse of human rights in Belarus, adding the topic needed to be discussed with representatives of the country at the upcoming Eastern Partnership summit. On Friday, outgoing Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg invited Belarus to take part in the summit on May 7, meaning that highly-controversial leader Alexander Lukashenko could attend. The chairwoman for the Czech Helsinki Committee said the invitation of Belarus to the summit was a “logical and correct” regarding the EU. But she stressed the union needed to make clear that Belarus could not be a viable partner if it continued to imprison political opponents and restrict the freedom of speech. On Friday, Czech President Václav Klaus reacted to the news of Belarus’ invitation, stating he would not shake Mr Lukashenko’s hand, nor receive him at Prague Castle.