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Milinkevich nominates Kozulin for prestigious human rights award

Belarusian opposition leader Aleksandr Milinkevich has nominated imprisoned Aleksandr Kozulin for the 2007 Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders, which is presented to individuals or organizations who have displayed exceptional courage in combating human rights violations.

"The courage and vigor that Aleksandr Kozulin shows in his struggle for his rights is admirable," Mr. Milinkevich's press office quoted him as commenting on the move. "His hunger strike is today a symbol of all Belarusians' aspirations to live in a free and democratic state. The entire world should know of it. This award will above all be a strong message of the international community to the Belarusian regime that it should start releasing political prisoners."

Named after the first secretary general of Amnesty International, the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders was established in 1993. The jury includes representatives of 10 leading human rights groups, with Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Federation for Human Rights among them.

The prize comes with a check for €20,000.

The 2006 prize went to Akbar Ganji, an Iranian investigative journalist turned activist, and Arnold Tsunga, a lawyer and a radio commentator from Zimbabwe.

Aleksandr Kozulin ran against Aleksandr Lukashenko in this past March's presidential election. He was arrested in April during a mass opposition protest and sentenced to 5 1/2 years in prison in July, found guilty of hooliganism and the organization of group actions disturbing the public peace. The latter charge was brought in connection with the peaceful march that was brutally dispersed by riot police.

The politician went on an open-ended hunger strike on October 20 to protest the reelection of Mr. Lukashenko for a third term and to attract the attention of the United Nations Security Council to the situation in Belarus. He has reportedly lost 30 kilograms since then. //BelaPAN