Picket in support of Ales Bialiatski held in Stockholm
A picket in support of human rights defender Ales
Bialiatski and other political prisoners in Belarus was held near the
Belarusian Embassy in Stockholm on 31 January. It was organized by the Swedish
human rights initiative Östgruppen in cooperation with Civil Rights Defenders,
the Swedish branch of Amnesty International and the Swedish Union of Writers.
Participants of the action demanded immediate and unconditional release of Ales
Bialiatski and other political prisoners in Belarus. Speeches were delivered by
a former Swedish MP Cristian Holm, the deputy head of the Human Rights Center
“Viasna” Valiantsin Stefanovich who came to Sweden on invitation of Östgruppen,
and the Swedish human rights defender Sofia Uggla.
“At present the Belarusian authorities heavily pressurize the independent civil
society, but the struggle for freedom and human rights continues. I am sure
that this struggle will be successful,” said Sofia Uggla.
