ACAT calls to guarantee the integrity of all Viasna activists

The Belgian organization Action of Christians for the Abolition of Torture (ACAT) proposes to appeal to the authorities of Belarus with a call to cancel the court sentences of the imprisoned Viasna human rights defenders and to unconditionally release them and all political prisoners.

The appeal emphasizes harsh sentences to Nobel Peace Prize laureate and Viasna leader Ales Bialiatski, his deputy Valiantsin Stefanovic and lawyer Uladzimir Labkovich. Human rights defenders were convicted amidst the war and tightening of Lukashenka's regime, unceasing repression and torture in Belarus, and total suppression of the voices of society, which is deprived of freedom of thought and expression.

The signatories call to:

• Guarantee the integrity of all activists of Viasna and other organizations, journalists of Belarus, and all religious leaders including Uladzislau Bahamolnikau and Dyianisii Karastsialiou.
• Cancel the conviction of Ales Bialiatski, Valiantsin Stefanovic, Uladzimir Labkovich, Leanid Sudalenka, Marfa Rabkova, and Andrei Chapiuk, and release them immediately and unconditionally. Any other arbitrarily imprisoned defenders must also be released so that they can continue their legitimate human rights or church activities.
• Guarantee the right of every accused person to due process and a fair trial, as well as unhindered access to family and lawyers.
• Stop persecution — including at the judicial level — against such persons and ensure they can carry out their activities without hindrance or fear of reprisals under all circumstances.
• Guarantee the rights to freedom of thought, religion, and association as enshrined in Article 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

ACAT supporters have already sent several such appeals to the Belarusian authorities.

Six human rights defenders of Viasna are currently behind bars: the head Ales Bialiatski, his deputy Valiantsin Stefanovic, and lawyer Uladzimir Labkovich who were sentenced to ten, nine, and seven years of imprisonment, respectively; head of the Homieĺ branch, Leanid Sudalenka, who was sentenced to three years in prison; volunteer service coordinator Marfa Rabkova, who was sentenced to 14 years and 9 months in prison, and volunteer Andrei Chapyuk, who was sentenced to 5 years and 9 months in prison.