“Jail sentences were handed down today in Belarus against four human rights defenders, including Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales BialiatskiRavina Shamdasani, spokeswoman for the United Nations human rights office, said: OHCHR.
UN human rights director Volker Turk has call to end the persecution of human rights defenders and dissidents, and to end arbitrary detention once and for all, she said.
long prison sentence
Authorities today announced that Mr. Bialiatski, president of the Viasna Center for Human Rights, has received a 10-year prison sentence in connection with the crime. smuggling and charges related to extremism.
Three other members of Viasna – Valiantsin Stefanovich, Uladzimir Labkovich and Dzmitry Salauyou – were sentenced to 9, 7, and 8 years, respectively. Mr. Salauyou was tried in absentia.
“We stayed deeply concerned that, to this day, some 1,458 people reported to be in custody in Belarus on politically motivated accusations,” she speaks.
Convicted for human rights activities
“The lack of independence of the judiciary and other violate ensuring a fair trial has resulted in human rights defenders in Belarus being prosecuted, convicted and criminally convicted for their legitimate human rights activities,” she said.
This includes recent prison sentences given in connection with the crime extremism and treasonShe added.
On February 17, 10 members of the workers’ movement Rabochy Rukh, were sentenced to between 12 and 15 years, and on February 8, journalist Andrzej Poczobut, were sentenced to 8 years in prison.
