Clinton calls on Belarus to free prisoners

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sunday decried Belarus' record of human rights abuses since a crackdown on dissent a year ago, and warned that US relations with it will not improve without progress on that front.

In a statement marking the anniversary of the crackdown, Clinton called on Belarusian authorities to free all political prisoners, including presidential candidates Andrei Sannikau and Mikalai Statkevich, and human rights activist Ales Byalyatski.

"Over the past 12 months, the Belarusian authorities have imprisoned peaceful demonstrators, suppressed non-violent protests, and worked to silence independent voices," she said.

"There have also been credible reports of degrading and inhumane treatment of political prisoners," she said.

While some political prisoners have been set free, she said, "we reiterate our call for all political prisoners to be immediately released and rehabilitated, including presidential candidates Andrei Sannikau and Mikalai Statkevich, and human rights defender Ales Byalyatski."

Clinton also expressed "grave concern over new laws that will further restrict citizens' fundamental freedoms of assembly, association and expression and that target support to civil society."

"We reiterate that the improvement of bilateral relations with the United States and the European Union is conditional on progress by the government of Belarus towards the fulfilment of its OSCE commitments and the respect for fundamental human rights, the rule of law and democratic principles," she said.

Clinton's statement echoed criticism she made earlier this month in Vilnius at the meeting of the 56-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.