English

Human rights defenders in Zhodzina, Rechytsa set to demonstrate in support of political prisoners

Human rights defenders in Zhodzina, Minsk region, and Rechytsa, Homyel region, have applied to the city governments for permission to stage small demonstrations on August 4 to demand the release of political prisoners.

According to human rights website www.spring96.org., the application filed with the Zhodzina City Executive Committee, which was signed by Svyatlana and Alyaksey Lapitski, ask the Zhodzina authorities to allow them to demonstrate at the center of the city from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The application filed with he Rechytsa City Executive Committee was filed by local rights activists Valery Putsitski and Mikhail Pytlew, as well as Aleh Shabetnik, a member of the “Tell the Truth!” movement.

Earlier this month, human rights defenders Barys Bukhel and Alyaksey Kolchyn applied to the Mahilyow city government for permission to stage a demonstration at the center of the city on August 4.

Human rights defenders plan to demand the release of the political prisoners and express solidarity with Ukraine during the demonstrations.

The 4th of August has been declared the International Day of Solidarity with Civil Society and Human Rights Activists in Belarus. On this date in 2011, Ales Byalyatski, chairman of the Vyasna Human Rights Center and vice president of the International Federation for Human Rights, was arrested in Minsk on tax evasion charges.

Mr. Byalyatski was released on June 21, 2014 under an amnesty law. // BelaPAN