On 24
November 2011, the Court of Pershamaiski District of Minsk unreasonably found
the resources donated to the Human Rights Center “Viasna” as aid to the victims
of political repressions and human rights violations as the personal income of
Ales Bialiatski and sentenced him to four and a half years of imprisonment in a
general-security penal colony with confiscation of property.

We
would also like to stress that the money-raising campaign launched on 15
December 2011 is aimed at either the release of Ales Bialiatski, or the change
of the measure of restraint and mitigation of the severe verdict.

Representatives
of the civil society would like to state that due to the donations by 765 citizens
of Belarus the necessary amount of money has been finally raised. On 18 January
2012, Ales Bialiatski’s wife transferred the money (757,526,717 rubles) to the
account of the Department of Justice of Minsk City Executive Committee for the
Court of Pershamaiski District.

The
campaign showed that the Belarusian society is able of expressing solidarity to
protect justice in the case of the illegally convicted human rights defender,
who plead not guilty of the charges brought against him and is still demanding
acquittal.

The
solidarity is also aimed at the entire Belarusian human rights movement, which
has been protecting the rights and freedoms of citizens under extreme
circumstances, constantly fighting for the fundamental values over the years.

United
We Are Strong!

Aleh
Hulak

Inna
Kulei

Barys
Zvozskau

Alena
Tankachova

Zhanna
Litvina

Siarhei
Matskevich

Valiantsin
Stefanovich

Aliaksandr
Milinkevich

Raisa
Mikhailouskaya

Tatsiana
Reviaka

Aleh
Vouchak
http://spring96.org/en/news/49190