US Department of State: Byalyatski’s arrest brings Belarus closer to self-isolation

The US demand the authorities of Belarus to release Ales Byalyatski (Beliatsky), the head of Vyasna human rights centre, immediately, and clear him from charges.

Byalyatski was detained on Thursday, August 4 in Minsk by officers of the Financial Investigation Department of the State Control Committee. Searches were held in the Viasna headquarters and in the flat and summer house of Byalyatski. He is a suspect in a criminal case opened under Article 243 Part 2 of the Criminal Code of Belarus (large-scale tax evasion). The case was opened on the grounds of information about his account at a bank in Vilnius, which had been provided by the Lithuanian justice ministry. The maximum punishment under this article is up to 7 years of imprisonment and confiscation of property.

“We are deeply concerned about the arrest and detention of Ales Byalyatsky, an outstanding human rights fighter and the head of a non-government organization which is one of only two human rights groups in Belarus,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters at a briefing on August 8.

He called for Belarus to “immediately and unconditionally” release Byalyatski and more than 40 political prisoners currently held in the country.

“Independent non-governmental organizations such as Vyasna play a critical role in any democratic society.”

Byalyatsky's arrest “represents another unfortunate sign of Belarus's self-isolation and violation of international standards on democracy, human rights and the rule of law,” Toner added.