Russian President’s Human Rights Council urges Medvedev to aid Ales Bialiatski’s release

“We ask you to use all of your power to foster the release of our colleague Ales Bialiatski held in detention in Belarus,” says an appeal passed to Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev in his meeting with the Presidential Council for the Development of Civil Society and Human Rights on 28 April.

“Ales Bialiatski is one of the key Belarusian human rights defenders, chairman of the Human Rights Center “Viasna” and vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights. We all know and value his human rights activities over the past 25 years; many of the Russian human rights groups have been partners with the Human Rights Center “Viasna” he chairs. Ales Bialiatski is an absolutely altruistic and honest person, dedicated to human rights protection both in his home country and worldwide. Owing to Ales Bialiatski’s activities, many of his compatriots have been able to receive legal assistance and managed to rehabilitate their violated rights,” says the appeal, signed by 15 members of the Council.