Belarus urged to release political prisoners
December 19th, 2011 - 6:56 am ICT by IANSMoscow, Dec 19 (IANS/RIA Novosti) US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton Sunday called on Belarus to release and rehabilitate political prisoners.
“We reiterate our call for all political prisoners to be immediately released and rehabilitated,” said a joint statement, which came two days after the EU imposed sanctions on two Belarusian officials involved in prosecuting human rights activist Ales Belyatsky.
Clinton and Ashton called for the release of Belyatsky, who was jailed for four-and-a half-years for tax evasion in November, as well as presidential candidates Andrei Sannikau and Mikalai Statkevich.
“Over the past 12 months, the Belarusian authorities have imprisoned peaceful demonstrators, suppressed non-violent protests, and worked to silence independent voices,” the statement added.
Clinton and Ashton voiced concern about “credible reports of degrading and inhumane treatment of political prisoners” caught up in the crackdown by the government of President Alexander Lukashenko.
“We also express grave concern over new laws that will further restrict citizens’ fundamental freedoms of assembly, association and expression and that target support to civil society,” said the statement.
–IANS/RIA Novosti
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Tags: alexander lukashenko, belarusian authorities, credible reports, fundamental freedoms, grave concern, hillary clinton, human rights activist, independent voices, inhumane treatment, new laws, peaceful demonstrators, policy chief, political prisoners, president alexander, presidential candidates, ria novosti, target support, tax evasion, us secretary of state, violent protests