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ARMENIANS CALL FOR RELEASE OF HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST, PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE ALES BIALIATSKI
epress.am
11.25.2011
The Committee on International Control over the Human Rights
Situation in Belarus (the Helsinki Association for Human Rights is the
Committee's representation in Armenia) is organizing a demonstration
today in defense of Ales Bialiatski, the human rights activist in
Belarus who was sentenced to prison Thursday.
Bialiatski (also spelling Belyatsky; first name Aliaksander), the
Vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights
(FIDH) and Head of the Belarusian Human Rights Centre "Viasna", was
arrested on Aug. 4, and convicted on Nov. 24 on tax evasion charges
and sentenced to four-and-a-half years in an enhanced regime detention
camp with property confiscation.
According to the Human Rights Watch, tax-evasion charges against
Bialiatski stemmed from his use of his personal bank accounts in
Lithuania and Poland to receive funding from international donors
for human rights work in Belarus. Human Rights Watch said that the
Belarusian authorities created many obstacles to prevent human rights
groups like Viasna from operating in compliance with the law, forcing
them into a legal limbo that the government exploits to punish them.
Human Rights Watch has repeatedly called on the prosecution to withdraw
the charges.
The charges were blatantly politically motivated, and he should
never have been arrested or tried. Ales Bialiatski is a prisoner of
conscience and must be immediately and unconditionally released,"
said Amnesty International in a separate statement.
The demonstration in Yerevan today will take place outside the
Belorussian Embassy (12a Nikol Dumani St. in Arabkir administrative
district) at 2:30 pm. Activists will be calling for Bialiatski's
release and an end to the criminal persecution against him.
Similar demonstrations are set to take place in other countries -
Ukraine, Russia and Kyrgyzstan.
Recall, a similar demonstration was held in Yerevan on Sept. 5,
protesting Bialiatski's initial arrest.
epress.am
11.25.2011
The Committee on International Control over the Human Rights
Situation in Belarus (the Helsinki Association for Human Rights is the
Committee's representation in Armenia) is organizing a demonstration
today in defense of Ales Bialiatski, the human rights activist in
Belarus who was sentenced to prison Thursday.
Bialiatski (also spelling Belyatsky; first name Aliaksander), the
Vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights
(FIDH) and Head of the Belarusian Human Rights Centre "Viasna", was
arrested on Aug. 4, and convicted on Nov. 24 on tax evasion charges
and sentenced to four-and-a-half years in an enhanced regime detention
camp with property confiscation.
According to the Human Rights Watch, tax-evasion charges against
Bialiatski stemmed from his use of his personal bank accounts in
Lithuania and Poland to receive funding from international donors
for human rights work in Belarus. Human Rights Watch said that the
Belarusian authorities created many obstacles to prevent human rights
groups like Viasna from operating in compliance with the law, forcing
them into a legal limbo that the government exploits to punish them.
Human Rights Watch has repeatedly called on the prosecution to withdraw
the charges.
The charges were blatantly politically motivated, and he should
never have been arrested or tried. Ales Bialiatski is a prisoner of
conscience and must be immediately and unconditionally released,"
said Amnesty International in a separate statement.
The demonstration in Yerevan today will take place outside the
Belorussian Embassy (12a Nikol Dumani St. in Arabkir administrative
district) at 2:30 pm. Activists will be calling for Bialiatski's
release and an end to the criminal persecution against him.
Similar demonstrations are set to take place in other countries -
Ukraine, Russia and Kyrgyzstan.
Recall, a similar demonstration was held in Yerevan on Sept. 5,
protesting Bialiatski's initial arrest.