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European Parliament member Jacek Saryusz-Wolski calls on his colleagues to support nomination of Byalyatski for Sakharov Prize

Jacek Saryusz-Wolski, a member of the European Parliament, has initiated the collection of signatures among his colleagues in support of the nomination of Belarusian human rights defender Ales Byalyatski for the Sakharov Prize, reported www.euroactiv.com.

Mr. Saryusz-Wolski says in a statement that Mr. Byalyatski’s contribution to the strengthening of peace has been broadly recognized, including by the United Nations, and is confirmed by the fact that he has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize.

“The European Parliament, which already expressed its support for Mr. Byalyatski in its resolution dated September 15, 2011, would prove that his persistent fight for freedom in the last remaining dictatorship on our continent is exemplary and of universal importance by awarding him the Sakharov Prize,” Mr. Saryusz-Wolski says.

According to the website, Mr. Byalyatski is the only candidate for the Sakharov Prize this year. At least 40 signatures of MEPs are required for him to get nominated. The deadline for collecting signatures is September 12.

Mr. Byalyatski, leader of a human rights group called Vyasna and vice president of the International Federation for Human Rights, was arrested in Minsk on August 4, 2011. On November 24, he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison on a charge of large-scale tax evasion. The charge stemmed from information about his bank accounts abroad, which was thoughtlessly provided by authorities in Lithuania and Poland under interstate legal assistance agreements. During his trial, Mr. Byalyatski insisted that the money transferred by various foundations to his bank accounts abroad had been intended to finance Vyasna's activities and therefore could not be viewed as his income subject to taxation. //BelaPAN