UCP urges to release and rehabilitate all political prisoners

On April 28, the Political Council of the United Civil Party adopted a statement which called on the Belarusian authorities to release and rehabilitate all political prisoners.

“Noting that the recent months were marked by a deliberate campaign of pressure on political prisoners Mikalai Statkevich, Yury Rubtsou, Mikalai Dziadok, Ihar Alinevich and others,

regretting that the Belarusian authorities are considering citizens with an alternative position as enemies that must be fought,

noting that the “de-politicization” of the international community’s dialogue with the Belarusian authorities preserves or even worsens the situation,

the Political Council of the United Civil Party urges the Belarusian authorities to:

- release and rehabilitate all political prisoners;

- immediately stop the administrative and psychological pressure against Mikalai Statkevich, and other political prisoners;

- cancel the illegal disciplinary penalties imposed on Statkevich over the past two months, and to annul the compiled acts of misconduct;

- allow representatives of international organizations and diplomatic missions of the European Union to visit the colonies and prisons to verify the conditions of detention of opposition politicians,” says the statement posted on the UCP’s website.