David Lidington : We again call on Belarus to release all of the political prisoners

Foreign Office Minister of Great Britain David Lidington ‘very worried’ about treatment of Sannikov and Dashkevich.

“I am very worried to hear of the reported ill treatment in detention of ex-presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov and Youth Front Leader Zmitser Dashkevich. Some reports have suggested that they are both experiencing life threatening conditions.

We call on Belarus to reassure us –as a matter of urgency – that both men are receiving adequate medical treatment and are being treated in accordance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and of the Body of Principles for the Protection of All Persons under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment, adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1988; and that their lives are not in danger.

We again call on Belarus to release all of the political prisoners and drop all of the charges against them.”