Members of the Swiss National Council and the British House of Lords take over godparenthood for Mikalai Dziadok and Stsiapan Latypau
As part of the solidarity campaign #WeStandBYyou of Libereco, Tamara Funiciello (SP) and Lord Foulkes of Cumnock (Labour Party) have taken over a godparenthood for political prisoners in Belarus.
Mikalai Dziadok is a blogger and activist of an anarchist movement. He was detained on November 12. He was severely beaten and reportedly tortured during and after arrest. He is charged under Article 342 of the Belarusian Criminal Code for having disturbed public order.
- Tamara Funiciello, member of the Swiss National Council
Tamara Funiciello, member of the Swiss National Council, has taken over the godparenthood for Mikalai Dziadok and stated: “The name Mikalai Dziadok stands for resistance against Lukashenka’s regime. Mikalai is an anarchist and has been campaigning for change in Belarus for many years. He was arrested and tortured on 12 November for resisting the regime. Since then he has been held as a political prisoner. For this reason, as a National Councillor of the Social Democratic Party, I take over the godparenthood for Mikalai and demand his immediate release as well as that of all political prisoners in Belarus! Lukashenka should resign and give the people their freedom back. Let’s show solidarity with the people of Belarus #WeStandBYyou”.
Stsiapan Latypau is an arborist and director of the Belarbo company. He was detained by riot police on September 15 outside his apartment building. It was later reported that Stsiapan Latypau was detained as a suspect in a criminal case under Article 293 (“participation in mass riots”) of the Belarusian Criminal Code. On September 19, several government-controlled TV channels aired a story alleging that Latypau was suspected of organizing an illegal supply of dangerous chemicals and intended to use the poisonous substances against police officers.
- Lord Foulkes, member of the British House of Lords
Lord Foulkes, member of the British House of Lords, has taken over the godparenthood for Stsiapan Latypau. On this occasion he stated: “I join parliamentarians throughout Europe calling on the Belarus authorities to release prisoners illegally detained, including Stsiapan Latypau who I have adopted and who was arrested on a trumped up charge of making chemicals to poison police. He is an arborist who uses chemicals in his work. I will also be encouraging my colleagues in the Lords and the Commons to adopt a prisoner and to intensify the campaign for their release.”
