Sanctions against Lukashenka lifted, and political prisoners appeared in Belarus immediately

• 28.10.2008, 10:53

The human rights centre “Viasna” has made a statement in connection with the arrest of the activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus”, participant of the Process of Fourteen Alyaksandar Barazenka.

On October 27 in Minsk a public activist Alyaksandr Barazenka was placed under arrest and placed to a remand prison. He is one of the accused in the Process of Fourteen, a criminal case initiated on charges relating Article 342 of the Criminal Code of Belarus against participants of a peaceful rally of market vendors held in Minsk on January 10, 2008.

“The fact that the arrest of Alyaksandar Barazenka is taking place against the background of certain concessions of the European Union to the official Belarusian authorities: lifting of sanctions against high-ranking Belarusian authorities, renewal of official contacts of the EU countries with the official Minsk.

It is worth mentioning that one of the main preconditions for this dialogue was and remains absence of political prisoners in the country and of politically motivated persecution of the regime’s opponents,” the Belarusian political prisoners state.

Human rights centre “Viasna” reminds that freedom of peaceful meetings and freedom of expression of one’s opinion is the right guaranteed by the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and international norms in the sphere of human rights.

The human rights centre “Viasna” expresses protest in connection with the arrest of Alyaksandar Barazenka, finds his persecution politically motivated and demands from the authorities his immediate release.