Salute to Ales Bialiatski from Human Rights House Foundation

Dear Ales,

Next week members and partners of the Human Rights House Network representing 100 human rights organizations will meet in Zagreb in Croatia.

There will be a vacant chair at all our events.

That chair is yours, Ales, and we keep it visible to all where you rightfully should have been today - and as a reminder that you are locked up in prison because of your longstanding, courageous and legitimate human rights work.

Until you come back and join us in person again at the Human Rights House Network meeting - the vacant chair is a symbol of the deteriorating human rights situation in Belarus. 

You inspire so many of us. Despite the worsening human rights situation in Belarus, you always have the strong solidarity and care for human rights defenders in other countries.

We miss you deeply, but we will keep up the good work with your wonderful colleagues in Belarus.

We hope you receive the photos and postcards sent to you from all over the world with greetings and as a token of our love and deep respect for you. 

We salut you and will celebrate your 50th birthday with a strong and unison message: Release Ales Bialiatski and the 12 other political prisoners in Belarus immediately and unconditionally! 

We send you all the best wishes on your birthday from colleagues in the Human Rights House Network in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Norway, United Kingdom, Poland, Ukraine, Russia, Serbia, Croatia, Bosnia Herzegovina, Uganda and Switzerland.

Maria Dahle

Executive director
Human Rights House Foundation