Belarus releases top human rights defender

Belarus human rights defender Ales Bialiatski was released from prison on the 21 June 2014 after spending almost three years in a penal colony on charges of tax evasion.

Belarus authorities gave no reason for his sudden release. But Bialiatski, who heads Minsk-based human rights centre Viasna, in a statement attributed national and international pressure on the Belarus regime.

On the 2 July 2014, Mr Bialiatski met with Štefan Füle, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighbourhood Policy in Strasbourg.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: EU sanctions against Belarus extended http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-eu-sanctions-against-belarus-extended/

EUObserver, 02.07.14: Interview: Ales Bialiatski: Two years of silence in Belarus penal colony http://euobserver.com/enlargement/124847

Wikipedia: Ales Bialiatski http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ales_Bialiatski

European Commission: RAPID: STATEMENT/14/219: EU-Belarus: Meeting with Ales Bialiatski in Strasbourg http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_STATEMENT-14-219_en.pdf

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