MEPs launch campaign of solidarity with political prisoners of Belarus

A campaign “MEP4Freedom” has been launched at the European Parliament.

On May 12 in Brussels Vice President of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party (ALDE) Petras Auštrevičius met with family members of 6 Belarusian political prisoners, who had come to share their experience and discuss the situation with human rights under Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s regime, Viasna human rights centre informs.

Relatives of political prisoners Mikalai Statkevich, Ihar Alinevich, Mikalai Dzyadok, Yury Rubtsou, Yauhen Vaskovich and Artsyom Prakapenka have taken part in the meeting.

During the meeting the campaign MEP4Freedom was announced. In the framework of the campaign parliamentarians representing different countries and political forces have become patrons of Belarusian political prisoners. MEP4Freedom is a sign of solidarity and moral support, which is welcomed not only by political prisoners, but by their families, friends and colleagues in the run-up to the Eastern Partnership summit in Riga and the presidential election in Belarus, expected in November.

In the end of the meeting Petras Auštrevičius said: “Europe should be free from political prisoners and persecution for political views. I am sure that the EU should continue pressure and urge to release political prisoners in the run-up to the Eastern Partnership summit in Riga.”

The press-service of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe party stresses that the situation with human rights in Belarus is deteriorating since 1994, when Alyaksandr Lukashenka was elected president. Under his rule the authoritarian government uses a complex of restrictive laws and measures of restrain, which results in systematic violations of human rights of citizens of Belarus. Opposition, the civil society and human rights activists are in the most vulnerable situation, experiencing endless crackdown and marginalization relating such rights as freedom of association and freedom of speech, which are essential for existence of a healthy and modern democracy.