Ales Bialitski: I was released thanks to pressure on Belarusian authorities

Ales Bialiatski urges the Foreign Ministry of Denmark not to lower the bar of the demands to Belarusian authorities.

On December 1 the human rights activist and a former political prisoner met with Danish Foreign Affairs Minister Martin Lidegaard, “Viasna” human rights centre informs.

During the meeting Ales Bialiatski noted that the situation in Belarus in the sphere of human rights and democracy does not change. “The society remains under a total control of the regime, there are political prisoners, independent journalists are harassed. Belarus is lacking of free air catastrophically,” he stated.

Bialiatski believes his release from prison is a result of the great pressure on the Belarusian authorities by the international community. He urged to continue and not to lower the bar of Europe’s demands to the regime, which are based upon international agreements signed by Belarus, and to support efforts of the civil society, aimed at democratic changes in the country.

“Our society is waiting for a clear signal from the European Union on recognition of a European future for the Belarusian nation," said Ales Bialiatski.

We remind that Bialiatski was arrested on August 4, 2011 and sentenced to 4.5 years in in high security penal colony and confiscation of property. The court found him guilty of tax evasion. The reason for that were bank accounts in banks of Lithuania and Poland, which were used for human rights activities. He was amnestied and released on June 21, 2014, after he served more than two thirds of his term.