Statement of Iranian lawyer Shirin Ebadi in support of Ales Bialiatski

Shirin Ebadi, well-known Iranian human rights activist and lawyer, awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 2003, gave a statement on the case of her Belarusian colleague Ales Bialiatski :

"The situation of human rights defenders around the globe remains critical. Look at the dire situation of my friend and colleague human rights defender, Ales Bialiatsky, vice president of the FIDH, jailed since the 4th of august and denied bail. Dictators stay together, and so must we. The international community must use all the means at its disposal, and then strengthen them with resolve and unity. What is dialogue without respect for human rights and all those who defend them, often with their lives".

Invited by the President of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, Shirin Ebadi took part in a press-conference, held on October 5 at the Office of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) in Brussels. Taking the portrait of Ales Bialiatski, she declared : "I would like to say a few words on the kind of goverment there is in Belarus. This picture is of my Belarusian colleague Ales Bialiatski. He is currently in prison".

"I'm very sorry to hear that two European Union states, Lithuania and Poland, have helped Belarusian government to arrest M. Ales Bialiatski", added Shirin Ebadi.