People readily express solidarity with Ales Bialiatski

Belarusian citizens were quite active even on the very first day of collecting pledges for bailing out the head of the HRC Viasna, which is the fifth day of Ales’s detention in the remand prison. It is very touching that among those who visited the office of HRC Viasna on 9 August there are not only well-known human rights defenders, journalists and victims of political repression who had received support from Viasna, but also ordinary people who learned about the situation from mass media. People also keep phoning from different regions of Belarus saying they want to send their pledges by mail.

Among those who have already expressed their support to Mr. Bialiatski are literary critic and political scientist Aliaksandr Fiaduta with his wife Maryna, a writer and public figure Uladimir Niakliayeu with his wife Olha, the chairman of the eliminated party Nadzeya Alena Yaskova, wife of political prisoner Volha Bandarenka, his colleagues in human rights activism Raisa Mikhailouskaya, Liudmila Hraznova, Liudmila Kavaliova, journalists Viktoryia Kolchyna and Henadz Barbarych.

We sincerely thank all people who respond to the request of HRC Viasna. We are confident that Ales will be cheered up by your support.

On Tuesday his wife Natallia and colleagues passed him the first parcel to the pre-trial prison. Ales feels alright. We also know that no investigative actions with his participation have been conducted so far.