The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders demanding the release of Ales Bialiatski

The organization offers to ordinary people around the world address the Belarusian authorities to stop the persecution Bialiatski.

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders, a joint programme of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT), has been informed about a new judicial decision issued against Mr. Ales Bialiatski, President of the Human Rights Centre (HRC) “Viasna” and FIDH Vice-President and requests your urgent intervention.

According to the information received, the Minsk Pervomaisky District  Court issued on March 29, 2012 a new decision against Mr. Ales Bialiatski, ordering him to pay an additional amount of 140,366,151 rubles (nearly 12,700 Euro) in penalty, in addition to the 757,526,717 Belarusian Rubles (approximately 70,000 Euros) which had already been paid in January 2012.

The Observatory is appalled by this new decision that is contrary to the law, and by the continued judicial harassment of Mr. Ales Bialiatski on blatantly biased grounds, and recalls that the latter has been arbitrarily detained since August 4, 2011 as a means to sanction his human rights activities (see background information).

The Observatory fears that this new decision only aims at depriving Mr. Bialiatski from the possibility to be covered by the amnesty law of July 3, 2012, and to benefit from other early release measures.

The organization offers to ordinary people around the world address the Belarusian authorities

to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Ales Bialiatski since his detention is arbitrary as it seems to merely sanction his human rights activities,

to put an end to any kind of harassment - including at the judicial level - against Mr. Ales Bialiatski and quash the decisions regarding this additional fine as well as the previous one;

Guarantee in all circumstances the physical and psychological integrity of Mr. Ales Bialiatski.

Addresses:

President Alexander Lukashenko, Fax : + 375 172 26 06 10 or + 375 172 22 38 72, Email: contact@president.gov.by

Head of the Administration of the President of Belarus, Mr. Vladimir Vladimirovich Makei, Fax: + 375 17 226-06-10

General Prosecutor, Grigory Alekseevich Vasilevich, Fax: + 375 17 226 42 52

Minister of Justice of Belarus, Mr. Viktor Grigorevich Golovanov, Email kanc@minjust.by

Permanent Mission of Belarus to the United Nations in Geneva, Fax: +41 22 748 24 51. Email: mission.belarus@ties.itu.int

Embassy of Belarus in Brussels, Fax : + 32 2.340.02.87, Email : embbel@skynet.be