English

Campaign of solidarity with political prisoners launched in Minsk

Salidarnasts (Solidarity), an organization that helps victims of political persecution in Belarus, has launched an 11-week campaign in support of the political prisoners who have been granted the status of prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International and Belarusian human rights organizations.

The campaign, titled “Week of Political Prisoner,” kicked off with a news conference in the office of the Movement for Freedom in Minsk on June 17.

The campaigners will point out to people that Belarus is not a free country, and that they should stand in solidarity with those who are suffering for their convictions and for the freedom of Belarus, said Ina Kuley, chairperson of Salidarnasts.

Every week until September 1 will be devoted to one of the political prisoners, who include Mikalay Statkevich, Paval Sevyarynets, Zmitser Dashkevich, Eduard Lobaw, Ales Byalyatski, Mikalay Dzyadok, Ihar Alinevich, Alyaksandr Frantskevich, and Mikalay Awtukhovich, Ms. Kuley said. Campaigners will also demand freedom for Yawhen Vaskovich and Artsyom Prakapenka and, possibly, Andrey Haydukow, who have not yet been internationally recognized as political prisoners, she said.

The campaign will include daily reports on the life and activities of the political prisoners on its website, Friday meetings with their families, and the distribution of postcards among non-governmental organizations and political parties that can be signed and sent to prisoners around Belarus, Ms. Kuley said.

“We cannot print postcards that would feature our white-red-white flag or the slogan ‘Zhyve Belarus!’ [Long Live Belarus!],” she said. “That is why our designers made postcards that carry a deep symbolic meaning suggesting that our friends who are in prison now are absolutely free wherever they are. Each card bears the inscription ‘Freedom for Free People!’”

Salidarnasts has also called on EU officials and members of the European Parliament to join the campaign, she said.

“We have already received several letters, including from Martin Schulz, president of the European Parliament, who knows Mikalay Statkevich personally,” Ms. Kuley said. “His words of support will appear on the site later this week.” //BelaPAN