Freedom to political prisoners!
Sunday of December 19, 2010, was called “bloody” in Belarus. On the day of the presidential elections, a peaceful rally against the rigged election results was brutally dispersed and more than 1000 people, among them most presidential candidates, members of their teams, journalists and human rights activists, were arrested. More than 40 people were jailed. Presidential candidates and activists of their teams received unprecedentedly long jail sentences – from 2 to 6 years.
Innocent people spent almost a year behind bars facing torture and inhuman treatment. Lukashenka had to release some political prisoners due to Western sanctions and the catastrophic state of the country's economy.
Presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich and 5 activists are still in jail.
The international community and human rights organisations demand to release the Belarusian prisoners of conscience. Seeking the release of remaining 6 political prisoners, the European Union and the United States imposed visa restrictions and economic sanctions on dictator's cronies – officials and businessmen involved in repressions and providing financial aid to the regime.
Yury Rubtsou: 225140, Brest obl., Pruzhany r-n, d. Kuplin, IUOT №7
Yauheny Vaskovich: 212011, Mahilou, ul. Krupskoi 99а, prison №4
Mikalai Dzyadok: 212011, Mahilou, ul. Krupskoi 99а, prison №4
Ihar Alinevich: 211300, Vitebskaya oblast, Vitebski r-n, p. Vitba. IK № 3
Artyom Prakapenka: 212013, Mahilou, Slavgorodskoye Shosse 183, IK №15
Mikalai Statkevich: 213004, Shklov, ul.1-ya Zavodskaya, 8, IK-17
Topic: Freedom to political prisoners!
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10:40 Miklós Haraszti welcomes release of Bialiatski
The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Belarus, Miklós Haraszti, welcomes the release of human rights defender Ales Bialiatski.
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9:13 Great Britain demands release of political prisoners in Belarus
London welcomes the release of Ales Bialatski and calls upon Belarus authorities to release the rest of the political prisoners.
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15:08 Maryna Adamovich: I don't believe Statkevich can be amnestied
The wife of political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich is happy with the release of Ales Bialiatski, but doesn't count on the release of her husband.
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11:05 Political prisoner Vaskovich put in punishment cell 6
Wardens try to present Vaskovich as a “malicious violator”.
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8:37 Political prisoner Lobau meets with his mother in correctional facility
Maryna Lobava returned after a long-term visit to her son.
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15:58 Attempt to charge Statkevich with “Shawshank redemption”
Mikola Statkevich, a political prisoner, has informed from prison that jailers tried to charge him with essaying an escape through a manhole made by him.
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7:39 Political prisoner Alienievich will be transported from Navapolatsk penal colony 2
Ihar Alienievich had a short meeting with mother.
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14:29 Political prisoner Lobau is finishing studies at penal colony
Eduard Lobau has received a welder’s qualification.
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17:54 Tomorrow court to decide on prolonging Zmitser Dashkevich’s preventive supervision 7
The court of Pershamajski district of Minsk is to consider whether preventive supervision over the co-chairman of the Young Front Zmitser Dashkevich is to be prolonged.
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13:42 Eric Rubin: U.S. position on political prisoners remains unchanged 3
Eric Rubin, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the U.S. Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, was on a visit to Minsk on June 2 – June 4.
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15:11 BCD activists march through Babruisk with portraits of political prisoners photo 2
Babruisk residents support the Belarusian political prisoners.
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11:29 Mikalai Statkevich has “correctional conversations” every month 20
The prison authorities think the political prisoner is “inclined to violence and escape”.
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11:11 Activist of European Belarus campaign taken from jail to police station 1
The police didn't allow friends of Siarhei Matskoits, an activist of the European Belarus civil campaign, to meet him outside the detention centre.
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8:22 Political prisoner Prakapenko to meet with family in prison 2
The visit will take place in July.
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12:02 Jury Rubcou taken to hospital after 30-day long hunger strike 20
The activist has been taken to a hospital due to poor fit.
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12:26 There have been no letters from Alijenievich since 9 May
The mother of the political prisoner, who is serving the imprisonment term in a penal colony in Navapolatsk, told of son’s attempts to start studies in the colony.
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13:05 Belarusian political prisoners got support of Bratislava photo 1
A rally of solidarity with political prisoners has taken place in the capital of Slovakia.
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8:21 Political prisoner Parfiankou spent more than 40 days in punishment cell 4
Vasil Parfiankou is often thrown into a punishment cell on false accusations.
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12:27 Correctional officers forbid political prisoner Vaskovich to read books 1
The authorities of Mahilou prison No. 4 refused to accept a parcel of books for Yauhen Vaskovich.
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18:22 Ales Bialiatski wrote new book in prison 2
The book “Mercuric Silver of Life” is dedicated to the events of 2010 – 2011 in Belarus.
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11:47 European Belarus campaign activist Kulakou gets 10 days in custody 3
The opposition activist was thrown behind bars ahead of the Ice Hockey World Championship.
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10:11 Political prisoner Andrei Haidukou released (Video) photo 28
Prison officers did everything to prevent meeting the political prisoner outside the correctional facility.
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11:28 Amnesty International offers to watch hockey in Minsk with political prisoners
Human rights activists from Amnesty International launch a media campaign “Virtual ice hockey stadium”.
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14:27 Mikola Statkevich: Vaskovich thrust into solitary cell for denial to write petition 2
There is an attempt to force Yauhen Vaskovich, a political prisoner, to write a petition for pardon.
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13:20 Maxim Vinyarski continues hunger strike in prison for 11th day 13
The coordinator of the “European Belarus” is visited by doctors every day.
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12:43 Hashtags and posters to tell championship guests about political prisoners photo 4
The idea was proposed by advertising specialist Yulia Liashkevich. A similar practice was used in Russia during the Sochi Olympics.
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11:44 Maksim Viniarski portraits in streets of Minsk photo
YChD activists demand the release of the European Belarus civic campaign coordinator, who has gone on hunger strike.
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10:30 Viniarski and Rubcou keep on hunger strike at Akrescina 3
The activists are on hunger strike in the prison in Akrescina Street.
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15:51 Prison guard: Viniarski began to drink water 2
The staff of a detention centre in Akrestsin Street confirms that a coordinator of the European Belarus civil campaign continues his hunger strike.
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14:28 Yauhen Vaskovich sent to solitary cell 3
The political prisoner experiences pressure in Mahilyou prison #4.
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12:27 Libereco urges to release Belarusian political prisoners 1
Human rights defenders call to release the Belarusian political prisoners on the occasion of the Ice Hockey World Championship.
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10:02 Ihar Alinevich: Russia's deceitful rhetoric is disgusting 3
Enthusiasm of the Ukrainians is worth admiration.
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13:30 Political prisoner Parfiankou thrown to locked cell for half a year 3
On 7 April Vasil Parfiankou has been placed in a locked-type confinement cell for 6 months.
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13:34 Amnesty International supports Statkevich
European activists of Amnesty International write letters to a political prisoner.
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15:27 Portraits of political prisoner Vaskovich hung in Minsk metro photo 3
An action of solidarity with the Belarusian political prisoner was held in Minsk metro.
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11:28 Political prisoner Hajdukou transferred to Vitba-3 penal colony 1
According to human rights activists, a political prisoner Andrej Hajdukou was transferred from a penal colony in Mahilou to the colony Vitba-3 on 6 April.
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16:34 No telephone calls from political prisoner Alinevich for last 6 months 2
The authorities of correctional facility No. 10 in Navapolatsk refused to explain the ban on telephone calls for Ihar Alinevich.
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11:38 Censorship does not letter from political prisoner Lobau pass through 1
Not all the letters come through from Eduard Lobau, who is serving imprisonment term in the penal colony number 22 in Ivacevichy.
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14:00 Political prisoner Parfyankou denied meetings with relatives, right to buy things and get parcels 3
The administration of penal colony #9 in Horki has started a campaign of pressure and provocations against Vasil Parfyankou.
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10:50 Family visits political prisoner Prakapaneka in jail
Atsiom Prakapenka was allowed meeting with his family.
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11:28 Eduard Lobau: Belarus may be next after Crimea
International community must stop Russia’s aggression.
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14:08 Lukashenka learns that Bialiatski compensated for damage two years ago 9
The dictator was informed that the political prisoner compensated for the damage, which, according to a court, he caused to the state.
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16:01
Political prisoner Parfiankou spends 23 days in punishment cell
The authorities of correctional facility No. 9 in Horki refused to give a cross necklace to Vasily Parfiankou.
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12:49 Lukashenka: Neither World Championship, nor amnesty will help political prisoners
The dictator claimed that Western politicians are “incapable of anything”.
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14:50 Autukhovich to be put under preventive supervision 4
Political prisoner Mikalai Autukhovich will be put under preventive supervision for a period of 16 months after his release.
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8:10 Wardens don’t let Ales Bialatski’s letters come through 2
Not all the letters get delivered from Ales Bialatski, who is serving the imprisonment term in Babrujsk penal colony number 2.
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13:24 Mikalai Statkevich held in solitary confinement
Former presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich is not sure of his safety in prison. He asked to be moved to a solitary cell.
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12:35 Uladzimir Yaromenak to be released on March 11
A political prisoner is expected to be released from a detention facility in Baranavichy on March 11.
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16:48 Political prisoner Vaskovich doesn't receive letters 3
Political prisoner Yauhen Vaskovich has problems with mail again.
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11:32 Makej on the dialogue with EU: It should not be the matter of freeing political prisoners 34
In the opinion of the head of Belarus’ MFA, “one should not hinge solely on the demand to release a certain number of persons”.
