#FreeViasna: Weekly news digest on Viasna’s imprisoned human rights defenders
On September 17, #FreeViasna campaign of solidarity with the imprisoned "Viasna" members was launched. Here’s the latest news about them.
“Viasna” human rights activists together with the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs representatives organized a series of actions in the frames of the #FreedomLetters campaign to sign postcards to political prisoners in Belarus. Human rights defenders and MPs visited three gymnasiums in Joniškis, Pabradė and Švenčionys, as well as two libraries in Gargždai and Palanga and signed about 300 postcards for prisoners, including “Viasna members”.
#FreedomLetters campaign took place in several Lithuanian cities
On January 6, the coordinator of “Viasna” Volunteer Service Marfa Rabkova will turn 27. This is her second birthday in a row, which Marfa will celebrate behind bars.
We known that Marfa has already finished studying her criminal case materials, and, most probably, Marfa’s trial will begin in January. Before New Year, Marfa sent a card wishing happy holidays to her friends.
A Christmas card from Ales Bialiatski has also been received recently:
Uladzimir Labkovich, in one of his recent letters, wrote about his music preferences and also noted the following:
“Alas, it is a quest to receive and send letters here, and lots of them get lost. It’s so hard for me, because letters are real life savers here.”
Over the past week, there was no news from the deputy chairman of “Viasna” Valiantsin Stefanovich, volunteer Andrei Chapiuk and volunteer Tatsiana Lasitsa.
The head of the “Viasna” office in Homieĺ Leanid Sudalenka wrote in his recent letter that he is waiting for the consideration of his appeal in court which is scheduled for January 14, and “mentally is prepared for any turn of events”:
“I am fine, I have recovered from illnesses, I go for walks again. All my thoughts are about my appeal, although, looking at the latest verdicts, I don’t think that my verdict will be changed.
So, at the end of January I will go to the penitentiary. I don’t know to which one exactly, but it doesn’t matter, anyway. Everything that is really important does not depend on me, as well as on any of us, humants. For now, as they say, live up to the referendum, and then we’ll see.”
Leanid also sent his holiday greetings to friends:
“My wishes are simple: let the COVID leave us forever and law return to our country. The Belarusians will get the rest by themselves.”
