The Council of Europe Wednesday denounced Belarus for deteriorating human rights and civil liberties in the former Soviet republic.

The Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, which offers advisory views to European Union bodies and other institutions, condemned the persecution of the opposition, harassment of rights and media activists and the ill-treatment of political prisoners.

"The authorities in Minsk are deliberately turning their back on Europe and the values it upholds," the assembly said in a statement.

Attempts to reach the Belarus government for a response were not immediately successful late Thursday.

The assembly also expressed dismay over Belarus's execution of two death row inmates in 2010. The death penalty in the EU is banned.

The assembly said it would maintain the suspension of activities involving high-level Belarus contacts until a death penalty moratorium is implemented.

The Council of Europe is made up of 47 countries. Belarus is the only country in Europe not to have joined.