Belarusian opposition demands president free activist
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 3 August 2012 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Belarusian opposition demands president free activist, 3 August 2012, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/502504fb0.html [accessed 27 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. |
August 03, 2012
By RFE/RL's Belarus Service
Ales Byalyatski sits in a Minsk court during his trial in November 2011.
MINSK – Opposition politicians and activists in Belarus have handed a petition to President Alyaksandr Lukashenka demanding the immediate release of Ales Byalyatski, the jailed chairman of the Minsk-based Vyasna human rights center.
Vyasna has actively reported on Lukashenka's ongoing crackdown on dissent.
Byalyatski was arrested in August 2011 and sentenced to 4 1/2 years in prison on tax-evasion charges that the European Union and United States have condemned as politically motivated.
The charges against Byalyatski stemmed from his alleged use of personal accounts in Lithuania and Poland to receive funding from international donors for rights activities in Belarus.
Byalyatski has pleaded not guilty.
With reporting by Interfax
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
