Ales Bialiatski: No one has invited us

The Belarusian human rights activist has commented on the possibility of a meeting with the leaders of Germany and France, who are to arrive in Minsk.

Tomorrow the talks on Ukraine are to take place in the capital of Belarus. Vladimir Putin, Petro Poroshenko, Angela Merkel and François Hollande are to take part in them. Charter97.org has asked the head of Viasna human rights centre whether he plans to discuss the problem of political prisoners in our country.

- Will the meeting of Belarusian human rights activist with the leaders of Germany and France take place in Minsk? Will the problem of political prisoners in our country be discussed?

- There have been no such proposals on their part. We cannot come to them and say “we want to meet.” If there are no proposals, it is not considered. If there are proposals – we are going to meet. I would be glad for such a meeting to take place.

- You are a well-known human rights activist, a honorary citizen of Paris, Vice President of the International Human Rights Federation, you had been nominated for the Nobel Prize. You could come forward with such an initiative yourself, by addressing Western politicians through mass media, for instance through our website.

- I think that the issue of Belarus would not be considered, so there is no use in such efforts. This question [of political prisoners] would not be considered. It is clear.

Photo: charter97.org