US condemns Kazulins conviction

According to a press statement issued by the US Department of State, the United States condemns the conviction of former Belarusian presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin, who was sentenced to five and one-half years for alleged "hooliganism" and disturbing the peace. The entire trial was a politically motivated process designed to punish Kozulin for expressing his political views.
- As we have done in the past, we will take steps to impose appropriate sanctions on those responsible for this abuse of a Belarusian citizens rights. We call on the Belarusian authorities to free Kozulin and all those being held on politically motivated charges, including the four civic activists associated with the non-partisan monitoring group Partnership, says the statement.