U.S. calls on Belarus to release political prisoners
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 19 December 2014 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, U.S. calls on Belarus to release political prisoners, 19 December 2014, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/54be131a15.html [accessed 21 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
December 19, 2014
By RFE/RL
WASHINGTON – The United States is calling on Belarus to release all of its "political prisoners" ahead of the fourth anniversary of a crackdown that resulted in the jailing of hundreds of opposition activists.
"We remember those who remain wrongly imprisoned and call for the immediate and unconditional release of all Belarusian political prisoners," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in a December 18 statement.
The statement came on the eve of the fourth anniversary of the arrest of hundreds of protesters in Belarus after a disputed presidential ballot that saw authoritarian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka reelected.
A U.S.-Belarus joint statement in December 2010 "acknowledges that enhanced respect for democracy and human rights remains essential to the progress of Belarus and its citizens, and is central to improving bilateral relations," Psaki added.
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
