German and Swiss MPs adopt political prisoners Aliaksei Hubich, Iryna Leushyna and Dzmitry Zalomski
As part of Libereco’s solidarity campaign #WeStandBYyou, Fabien Fivaz (Swiss National Council, Green Party), Merle Spellerberg (German Bundestag, Alliance 90/The Greens) and Hubert Hüppe (German Bundestag, Christian Democratic Union) have taken on a godparenthood for political prisoners in Belarus.
Aliaksei Hubich is an engineer who was arrested on 20 October 2020. On 4 February 2021, he was sentenced to three years’ imprisonment for alleged “violence or threat of violence against an employee of the internal affairs bodies” (Criminal Code, Art. 364). While in prison, Hubich was denied an urgent eye surgery.
- Fabien Fivaz, member of the Swiss National Council
Fabien Fivaz, member of the Swiss National Council and of the Commission on Security Policy, states: “I call on the Belarusian regime to immediately release Aliaksei Hubich and all other political prisoners. Hubich urgently needs medical aid, which he has been denied in prison until now. The people of Belarus must be free to decide for themselves about the future of their country. They must have the opportunity to express their political will and take to the streets if necessary.“
Iryna Leushyna, director at the news agency BelaPan, was arrested on 18 August 2021. She has been charged with alleged “evasion of taxes and fees” (criminal code, Art. 243) and “creation of an extremist formation” (Art. 361).
- Merle Spellerberg, German MP
Merle Spellerberg, member of the German Bundestag (Alliance 90/Die Grünen) has become the godparent of Iryna Leushyna and demands: “The protection of freedom of the press is one of the highest goods of a free society. The imprisonment of representatives of the fourth estate is an intolerable deprivation of freedom. But above all, it is a sign of the weakness and of the fear of those in power. Because the free word has the power to lead to general freedom. In solidarity with all political prisoners, we stand by Iryna Leushyna. We demand her immediate release.”
Dzmitry Zalomski was arrested on 1 September 2021. Zalomski was sentenced to three years in prison for allegedly “insulting a government official” (Criminal Code, Art. 369) and “insulting the president” (Art. 368).
- Hubert Hüppe, member of the German Bundestag
Hubert Hüppe, Member of the German Bundestag for the Christian Democratic Union, has taken on the godparenthood of Dzmitry Zalomski. He expains: “Dzmitry Zalomski has a hearing impairment and is therefore dependent on a hearing aid. Nevertheless, police officers removed his hearing aid after he was taken into custody in the courtroom. In order to hear the other side as well, I asked the Belarusian ambassador in Berlin for timely information. I regret that I have not received a reply for 21 days. Against this background, I see no reason to doubt Libereco’s assessment. I admire the courage of the people of Belarus to stand up for democracy and human rights. And I call on the President of Belarus for the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, including the deaf Dzmitry Zalomski.”
