Ales Byalyatski marks 50th birthday

A human rights activist celebrates his birthday in prison.

He has been in prison for a year and three weeks.

Ales Byalyatski was born on September 25, 1962. He is a human right activist, head of Viasna human rights centre and Vice President of the International Federation for Human Rights. In 1986, he was among founders of the community of young writers “Tuteishya” and later headed the community. He was among organizers of the first rallies on Dzyady, the ancestors remembrance day. In 1988, became one of the founders of  the association “Martyrology of Belarus”, one of the first human rights organizations in the country. Ales Byalyatksi was a member of the organizing committee to create the Belarusian Popular Front.

In 1990, Ales Byalyatski was among organizations of the Belarusian Catholic Community. He was a member of the Minsk City Council in 1992 – 1996. He worked as the director of Maksim Bahdanovich Literature Museum in 1989 – 1998.

He founded Viasna-96 human rights organization (now known as Viasna) in 1996.