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Polish MEP appeals to European Commission over fines imposed on Belarusian rights defenders

Marek Migalski, a Polish member of the European Parliament, has called on the European Commission to discuss the recent sentencing of three human rights defenders in Belarus to fines for posting a photograph in support of their imprisoned associate Ales Byalyatski on a website.

Dr. Migalski urges the European Commission to intervene and speak out against the persecution of Belarus' civil society, according to the MEP's office. "There is a growing wave of repression by Belarusian authorities against civil society activists and opposition representatives," he says. "Citizens continue to be denied their right to defend their views and participate in peaceful protests."

On January 5, a judge of the Leninski District Court in Hrodna found rights defenders Viktar Sazonaw, Raman Yurhel and Uladzimir Khilmanovich guilty of acting in violation of regulations governing "mass events" and sentenced each to a fine of 1.5 million rubels ($170).

They posed for the photograph on December 10, International Human Rights Day, holding images of Mr. Byalyatski, the imprisoned chairman of a human rights organization called Vyasna (Spring). //BelaPAN