Human rights activists are calling for solidarity with Byalatski

International organizations expressed the need for urgent intervention in the case of arrested human rights defender.

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has been informed about measures of reprimand and extra duty issued against Mr. Ales Bialiatski, President of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Viasna” and FIDH Vice-President and requests your urgent intervention.

New information:

On June 15, 2012, the Observatory was informed of the existence of measures of reprimand and extra duty recently issued by the penitentiary administration against Mr. Ales Bialiatski. Such measures were communicated to HRC “Viasna” Vice Chairman Valiantsin Stefanovich in a letter written by Mr. Bialiatski, in which he stated the following:

“I already had a reprimand and an extra duty. I feel they won't be the last. In general, it turned out I am far from being a good inmate.”

The prison staff is reportedly blaming Mr. Bialiatski because he refuses to recognise his guilt, does not belong to “amateur talent groups”[1], and, most recently, because a measure of reprimand was issued against him.

Mr. Bialiatski's meetings with his wife have also been reduced from three days to one, and he is now only allowed to receive half amount of food parcels.

The Observatory fears that these new measures against Mr. Bialiatski only aim at depicting him as an offender, with the aim of depriving him from the possibility of benefitting from the amnesty law scheduled for July 3, 2012, and from other early release measures.  

The Observatory is also worried that the right of Mr. Bialiatski to receive and send letters remains curtailed, as the prison authorities still fail to deliver a significant portion of his correspondence.

Actions requested:

Please write to the Belarusian authorities, urging them to:

i. Immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Ales Bialiatski since his detention is arbitrary as it seems to merely sanction his human rights activities;

ii. Put an end to any kind of harassment - including at the judicial and administrative levels - against Mr. Ales Bialiatski and quash the measures of reprimand and extra duty as well as the previous judicial decisions;

iii. Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Ales Bialiatski;

iv. Conform with the provisions of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders, adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations on December 9, 1998 as well as  international human rights standards and international instruments ratified by Belarus.

Addresses:

Alexander Lukashenko, Fax : +375 172 26 06 10 or +375 172 22 38 72, Email: contact@president.gov.by

Head of the Administration of the President of Belarus, Mr. Vladimir Vladimirovich Makei, Fax: +375 17 226-06-10

General Prosecutor, Grigory Alekseevich Vasilevich, Fax: +375 17 226 42 52

Minister of Justice of Belarus, Mr. Viktor Grigorevich Golovanov, Email kanc@minjust.by

Permanent Mission of Belarus to the United Nations in Geneva, Fax: +41 22 748 24 51. Email: mission.belarus@ties.itu.int

Embassy of Belarus in Brussels, Fax : +32 2.340.02.87, Email: embbel@skynet.be

Please also write to the diplomatic mission or embassy of Belarus in your respective country.