LOC10:06
07:06 GMT
WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (KUNA) -- In a statement released late Friday, the United
States reiterated its call for the government of Belarus to release human
rights organization to be freed, along with all other political prisoners
currently held in prison.
The U.S. called for the release of the State Department's 2011 Human Rights
Defender Award recipient Ales Byalyatski, currently serving the second year of
a four and a half year sentence in Belarus. He had formerly headed a human
right organization aiding victims of political repression and cataloging human
rights violations.
"We honor Byalyatski's work to protect the weak and uphold the highest
standards of human rights despite harassment by Belarusian authorities,"
Deputy State department spokesperson Marie Harf said in a statement. "We
reiterate our call on the Government of Belarus to immediately release
Byalyatski and all political prisoners and restore their civil and political
rights. We look forward to a day when enhanced respect for democracy and human
rights in Belarus allows us to improve bilateral relations."
Byalyatski was arrested in 2011 for tax evasion charges that his supporters
say were politically motivated. (end)
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