Prisoners' godparenthoood: Hans-Gert Pöttering adopts Ales Kirkevich

Hans-Gert Pöttering, former president of the European Parliament and chairman of the Konrad-Adenauer-Foundation, has taken on a prisoner’s godparenthood for Ales Kirkevich.

The Member of the European Parliament said:

"In spite of his young age, Ales Kirkevich has already demonstrated an exemplary commitment to freedom and democracy in his home country Belarus. I attach great importance to supporting him in his involvement in civil society by taking over this sponsorship. I call upon President Aleksander Lukashenko to release him and all other political prisoners without further delay."

The Prisoner’s Godparenthood campaign for political prisoners in Belarus was initiated by the human-rights organisation Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights to support the prisoners and their families.

Ales Kirkevich is vice chairman of the Malady Front (Young Front), the largest democratic youth organisation of Belarus. During the election campaign he was part of the campaign team of the christian-democratic candidate Vital Rymasheuski.  He was arrested on January 29th 2011 and was accused of raising mass riot, which refers to protests against the forged presidental elections. On May 5th 2011 Ales Kirkevich was condemned to 4 years of imprisonment. According to his wife he is currently imprisoned in a very crowded and hot cell in the remand prison "Valadarski street" in Minsk.

Belarusian and international human-rights organisations regard Ales Kirkevich as a prisoner of conscience and are calling for his immediate and unconditional release.