BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

22/05/2007

Two Belarusian opposition leaders sentenced to 3 years in prison freed early

The Associated Press

MINSK, Belarus: Two Belarusian opposition activists whose three-year prison sentences prompted condemnation from the United States and European Union were freed Tuesday a year early.

Paval Sevyarynets and Mikola Statkevich were sentenced in August 2005 for organizing mass protests after the disputed 2004 referendum that allowed Alexander Lukashenko to seek a third term as Belarus' president.

Following the trial, the U.S. Embassy called the sentencing a "parody of justice" while the EU's foreign policy chief called the sentences excessive.

Sevyarynets said the Novopolotsk City Court ordered him to be released conditionally for good behavior.

"My conviction was politically motivated and illegal. I have nothing to repent for," he told AP after his release.

Human rights organization Vesna said Mikola Statkevich, who was convicted and sentenced along with Sevyarynets, was also freed Tuesday. He could not be immediately reached for comment.

Lukashenko has made Belarus into one of Europe's most repressive societies by quashing dissent and closing down opposition media. The U.S. and the EU have imposed sanctions on him and top members of his government.

The 2004 referendum scrapped presidential term limits and gave Lukashenko the go-ahead to seek a third term in 2006 and prompted days of protests by opposition parties and youth activists. Lukashenko's win in last year's presidential election was widely criticized by opposition groups and Western observers as flawed.

Source:

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/05/22/europe/EU-GEN-Belarus-Opposition.php