European Diplomats Write A Letter To Belarusian To Journalists In Prison

"None of these courageous voices has been forgotten".

Today, 2 November, the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, European diplomats in Belarus have sent a letter to Belarusian political prisoners, the German Embassy in Belarus reported.

The text of the letter has also been published, as it is still not confidential due to the control of correspondence in prisons.

There are currently 33 journalists and media workers unjustly imprisoned in Belarus, the diplomats said in a statement.

"There is an acute lack of their voices in the public sphere in Belarus. The numerous reprisals against journalists and media workers in Belarus are a violation of international obligations, which Belarus itself recognises as a member of the United Nations and the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe," the statement on the embassy's Facebook page said.

The letter was sent on 2 November to each of the 33 media workers unjustly imprisoned in Belarus. "None of these brave voices will be forgotten. And none of them will be forgotten," it said.

The letter was signed by

German Charge d'Affaires a.i. in Belarus Michael Nowak;

Charge d'Affaires of Austria in Belarus Ronald Sturm;

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Bulgaria to Belarus Georgi Vasilev;

Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the Czech Republic in Belarus Tomáš Kryl;

Chargé d'affaires a.i. of Estonia to Belarus Triin Hiesalu;

Head of Department of the Embassy of Finland in Belarus Katja Karppinen;

Chargé d'affaires a.i. of France to Belarus Ludovic Royer;

Chargé d'affaires a.i. of Italy to Belarus Virginia Fadelli;

Chargé d'affaires a.i., Head of the Office of the Dutch Embassy in Minsk Rene Kersten;

Chargé d'affaires a.i. of Poland in Belarus Martin Wojciechowski;

Chargé d'affaires a.i. of Romania in Belarus Victor Pirtoacă;

Chargé d'affaires a.i. of Sweden in Belarus Eva Sundqvist;

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Switzerland to Belarus Christine Honegger Zolotukhin;

Chargé d'Affaires a.i. of the United Kingdom to Belarus Jack Hands.

The governments of the countries whose diplomats have signed the letter stand united in demanding the release of political prisoners in Belarus.

The text of the letter is being published because it will not remain confidential due to the screening of correspondence in prisons.

"As a media worker, you have shown great courage in defending freedom of expression in Belarus. The fact that you are imprisoned today for doing so is a blatant injustice. Our governments stand together in calling for the release of political prisoners in Belarus.

We wish you health, strength and as many happy moments as possible. We are thinking of you today and following your fate closely every day," the letter said.

The UN General Assembly established the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists by resolution in 2013.

In that resolution, the General Assembly condemned any use of violence against media professionals, including arbitrary deprivation of liberty, and called on States to promote a safe environment for media professionals to carry out their work independently and without undue interference.