Rallies in support of political prisoner Alyaksandr Barazenka held in regions

Street rallies are held and leaflets with information about the political prisoner Alyaksandr Barazenka are distributed in Pinsk. At the moment Barazenka is held in the remand prison in Minsk.

As Radio Svaboda informs, recently two street rallies in defence of the activist of civil campaign “European Belarus” Alyaksandr Barazenka have taken place in the city. Now next ones are being prepared, the chairman of Pinsk branch of the Young Front Ihar Salavej said.

“Yes, there will be new rallies soon. People who get acquainted with leaflets, are indignant that there are political prisoners in Belarus again. One man said: “Well, prisons are empty, but does that mean that new prisoners should be arrested?” The reaction of Pinsk market vendors was very positive too. They said that the guy is fighting for their interests,” Ihar Salavej said.

Now Alyaksandr Barazenka is charged in the criminal case of 14 opposition activists, who were detained on January 21 during the protest rally of market vendors in Minsk. 13 persons were sentenced to restriction of freedom and fines. Alyaksandr Barazenka is the last in the list of convicted. He was arrested not long ago, on October 27, after an interrogation on the investigation department. Before that the young man was studying in Poland.

“Last Thursday I was in Minsk. I visited the investigator, received permission for a meeting with my son. I met him. Alyaksandr was cheerful. He bears his head high,” Alyaksandr Barazenka’s father, Alyaksandr, says.

“Frankly speaking, neither I nor you are surprised at that. The regime’s manifestations are obvious again. The today’s leader through his artificial liberalization has gained loyalty of the West, and now, as they say, he can play his game again,” Alyaksandr Barazenka senior explains his son’s persecution.

Alyaksandr Barazenka has served arrests twice: in 2007 for participation in a youth action against repeal of benefits, and this year for participation in the protest rally of market vendors. Since May investigators put him on the search list as a suspect in the “Process of Fourteen”.

The political prisoner is the second year student of Wroclaw university due to Kastus Kalinouski Program. Since October 28 the activists of the democratic movement started to organize rallies of solidarity with Alyaksandr Barazenka in different places of Minsk.