Catherine Ashton calls for full and transparent investigation of Aleh Byabenin’s death

According to the words of EU High Representative, the journalist was “one of the key contributors to pushing the reform agenda in Belarus”.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton calls for the conduct of “full, independent and transparent investigation” of the death of the Belarusian opposition activist Aleh Byabenin, BelaPAN reports with reference to European Internet portal EUobserver.

The spokeswoman for the EU High Representative, Maja Kocjanic, stated that the office of Catherine Ashton knew with regret about the tragic death of Aleh Byabenin. According to her words, he was “one of the key people who called upon conducting reforms in Belarus”.

Asked about how the incident could affect the EU decision on sanctions against Belarusian officials to be adopted on October 2010, Maja Kocjanic said that the EU is “very mindful of the human rights situation in the country”

As it was reported earlier, Aleh Byabenin’s body was found on September, 3 in his summer cottage in Dzyarzhynsk district. The reporter hung in makeshift noose fastened to a flight of stairs, close to the fallen stool. In General Prosecutor's Office they reported later that the main version they considered was a suicide. But friends, relatives and colleagues of the dead have doubts that opposition journalist could lose his life voluntarily.