Situation of Ales Byalyatski discussed in European Parliament (Photo)

• 16.01.2012, 14:05

A delegation of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) took part in a meeting of the EP Foreign Affairs Committee on January 12.

FIDH representative Jean-Marie Rogue (in the picture) highlighted the situation of FIDH Vice President and head of Viasna human rights centre Ales Byalyatski. All members of the FIDH delegation appeared at the EP meeting in T-shirts with a picture of Ales to show their solidarity, Viasna human rights centre reports.

We remind that the situation in Belarus was discussed during a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament on January 12. Stefan Füle, the European Commissioner for Enlargement and Neighborhood Policy and External Relations, emphasized the importance of supporting Belarusian civil society. “The authorities should immediately release the arrested persons and drop criminal charges brought against them, in case they want to escape sanctions. This is a matter of a few days, not weeks,” the European commissioner said. The European Union is expected to take a political decision on imposing sanctions on Belarusian officials at a meeting of the EU foreign ministers on January 31.