A petition in defense of political prisoners have been handed over to Lukashenka

On August 3 a petition in defense of Ales Bialiatski and other political prisoners was passed to the reception of Lukashenka's administration.

A document signed by the chairman of the NGO "Belarusian Helsinki Committee" Olga Gulak, Tatiana Revyako (friend of Byaliatski from “Viasna”), leader of the “For Freedom" movement Alyaksandr Milinkevich, the deputy of the NGO "Belarusian Association of Journalists" Andrew Bastunets, the head of the Assembly of NGOs Sergey Mackiewicz, head of the association "Center on Human Rights" Raisa Mikhailovskaya and other community activists.

Today those who signed the petition came to the presidential administration. To the reception the document was brought by Oleg Gulak and Tatiana Revyako. The rally took place without incidents, writes BelaPAN.

The essence of the petition is the requirement of immediate and unconditional release of Ales Bialiatski and other "prisoners of conscience".

"We believe that the condemnation of the human rights activist is illegal and is connected with his human rights activities, - is said in the petition. - The arrest of Ales was the result of years of deliberate policy of the Belarusian authorities in regard to human rights and public organizations in the country: depriving of state registration, creation of obstacles (including at the legislative level) in registration of NGOs, the existence of criminal responsibility for activities on behalf of unregistered organizations, the actual prohibition and criminalization of foreign financial assistance".

The authors of the petition demand "to stop the pressure and harassment of civil society in the country and human rights activists, as well as to bring the legislation of Belarus in line with international standards of the protection of human rights".

On August 4 it will be a year since the arrest of Ales Bialiatski. In November the court of Pervomaisky district of Minsk found Bialiatski guilty of concealing income on a large scale, and sentenced him to four and a half years imprisonment in a maximum security colony with confiscation of property. The basis for the prosecution were foreign bank accounts of the human rights activist, funds from which were used for the activity of the human rights center "Viasna". The court also did not take into consideration the fact that the damage, which Belyatsky, allegedly, caused to the State, was fully repaid by the voluntary contributions of citizens.

Arrest of Bialiatski had a wide international response. Belarusian human rights activist is declared a prisoner of conscience.