Amnesty International: Everyone Detained For Peaceful Protests In Belarus Is Prisoner Of Conscience

All the detainees must be released immediately.

International human rights organization Amnesty International has condemned the detention of protesters in Minsk and other Belarusian cities on July 14. This is reported on the organization's website.

Senior manager of Amnesty International campaigns in Belarus Aisha Jung made a statement about the protests, held on Tuesday and the subsequent detentions of the participants.

- The people, gathered to condemn the non-inclusion of opposition politicians in the list of presidential candidates, had every right to take to the streets. Peaceful protest is an important tool to exercise the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and expression, - the organization spokeswoman said.

According to her, the protesters took to the streets because they consider the desire of the current head of Belarus to win the elections for the sixth time in a row without serious resistance to be the true reason for refusing to register some candidates as presidential candidates.

Also Aisha Jung says that when dispersing the rallies the police used excessive force, including the one on the part of the employees in civilian clothes. All that led to a reaction from some protesters who tried to prevent the arrest or beating of other participants and increased the intensity of the conflict. Nevertheless, according to her, the protests remained largely peaceful, which is confirmed by eyewitness accounts and videos.

- The Belarusian authorities must respect human rights and must not disperse or prosecute people who stand up for their rights and political choices. Anyone, detained merely for peaceful protests in Minsk or other cities, is a prisoner of conscience and must be immediately and unconditionally released, - Aisha Jung said.

The protests were held in Minsk and other cities of Belarus on July 14 and 15 after the Central Election Commission refused to register Viktar Babaryka and Valer Tsepkala as candidates for presidency. As a result, according to various estimates, from 250 to 280 people were detained, and six Minsk police officers were injured.