Belarusian MPs think there are no political prisoners in Belarus. MPs claimed that during the meeting with PACE Chairperson Rene Van der Linden.

During the meeting with members of the Chamber of Representatives the PACE Chairperson expressed an opinion that release of all political prisoners could become a good condition for beginning of the dialog with the Belarusian authorities. “According to Mr. Van der Linden the parliament members replied there were no political prisoners in Belarus”, -- says human rights defender Ales Bialiatski. Bialiatski, together with other representatives of the civic society, met with the PACE Chairperson today.

According to Bialiatski, the PACE chairperson replied to the Belarusian MPs that the Council of Europe was ready to send independent experts, who would be able to give a qualified answer to that question.