EU foreign ministers on Monday agreed to lift most of the EU’s economic sanctions against Belarus, citing improvements [press release in the country’s human rights record. The Council of the EU cited Belarus’ participation in various organizations and negotiations including the EU-Belarus Human Rights Dialogue as steps to improving EU-Belarus relations and that it will not extend sanctions after suspending them in October. The Council did, however, extend an arms embargo for the next year. Although criticized [Guardian report] by human rights organizations, the Council urged Belarus to follow recommendations made by UN treaty bodies and work with the Special Rapporteur, and offered the country assistance to meet its obligation towards democratization and “full respect for human rights.”

The lifted sanctions come on the heels of a UN report that said [JURIST report] that the country’s dismal human rights conditions remained unchanged despite EU and US sanctions against the country being partially suspended in anticipation of improving human rights. In August EU officials praised [JURIST report] Belarus’ president for his release of political prisoners. In June UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus Miklos Haraszti warned [JURIST report] that Belarus continues to sentence and imprison political opponents of the government. In March 2014 he called for the country to end its use of the death penalty, reiterating earlier statements [JURIST reports] and citing politically motivated courts and the lack of fair trials. In 2011 former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay suggested a need for UN intervention [JURIST report] in Belarus and demanded the nation free non-violent political prisoners. Although Belarus is an active member of the UN and has ratified many of its human rights policies, Pillay noted a sharp deterioration in human rights since the 2010 disputed re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994.