Belarussian political prisoners need European Parliament support

Submitted by admin on Wed, 07/02/2014 - 00:00

Today, on the occasion of the visit of Ales Bialiatski, a recently released political activist and Chairman of the Belarus Human Rights Centre "Viasna", Petras Auštrevičius MEP (Liberal Movement, Lithuania) and Hans Van Baalen MEP (VVD, Netherlands) commented:

Today, on the occasion of the visit of Ales Bialiatski, a recently released political activist and Chairman of the Belarus Human Rights Centre "Viasna", Petras Auštrevičius MEP (Liberal Movement, Lithuania) and Hans Van Baalen MEP (VVD, Netherlands) commented:

"We welcome the recent release of Ales Bialiatski, probably the most prominent of the political prisoners still held behind bars in Belarus. The individual case of Mr. Bialiatski and the continuous clamp down on civil society in Belarus require unwavering support from European politicians and leaders."

"Therefore, we are calling on the newly elected Members of the European Parliament and political groups in the European Parliament to adopt a political patronage for the humanitarian situation, legal rights and liberties of a political prisoner in Belarus. A symbolic gesture of this nature would go a long way to maintaining awareness of the destructive nature that the Lukashenko regime has on civil society in Belarus. Political patronage would also offer hope and lift the spirit of the families and relatives of those detained activists that often find themselves under pressure from the regime."

Source: http://www.alde.eu/nc/press/press-and-release-news/press-release/article/belarussian-political-prisoners-need-european-parliament-support-43178/

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News of Belarus

Tough sentences announced to Brest antifascists

Submitted by admin on Mon, 10/05/2015 - 21:00

A verdict was delivered today in the case of Brest antifascists acused of participation in a group fight with neonazis which happened on May 8, 2013.

Antifascists were tried under the art. 339.3 (malicious group hooliganism) and 147.2 (malicious bodily harm). The case was qualified as malicious due to the fact of pepper spray usage in the fight.

Dzmitry Stsyashenka got 5 years of penal colony with reinforced regime (339.3) and 500 euro of damages to be paid to the injured nazis.

Exclusive: European Union moves to suspend sanctions on Belarus

Submitted by admin on Wed, 09/16/2015 - 21:00

The European Union is likely to lift some sanctions on Belarus, including its travel ban on President Alexander Lukashenko, after he freed a group of political prisoners last month, diplomatic sources say.

An arms embargo against the former Soviet republic would remain. But in an overture to the man the West calls Europe's "last dictator", diplomats are looking at suspending visa bans and asset freezes on most of around 200 people under sanctions for rights abuses, some since disputed elections in 2004.