BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

12/11/2007

Campaign for release of oppositionists from prison begins in Belarus

MINSK, November 12 (Itar-Tass) - An international campaign for release of political prisoners from Belarussian jails has begun in this country.

"A public Commission for Freedom to Alexander Kozulin and Other Political Prisoners has issued appeals to parliaments of 14 European countries, including Germany, Lithuania, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic, asking them to issue appropriate demands to Belarussian authorities for the release of former candidate for presidency Alexander Kozulin and other political prisoners," said lawyer Alexander Kozulin who defended Kozulin in the courtroom.

He indicated that similar appeals have been issued to the staffs of universities and research institutions worldwide and to influential international human rights organizations.

Also, Belarussian oppositionists have prepared an appeal to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

In the meantime, Belarussian Interior Minister Vladimir Naumov said Belarus does not have any political prisoners.

"There're no articles on political crimes in our Criminal Code and, consequently, there're no political prisoners," he said.

Naumov indicated that many of people affiliated with the opposition are serving prison terms due to purely criminal offences.

Alexander Kozulin, the former rector of Belarussian State University was sentenced to 5.5 years in July 2006 on charges of hooliganism and encroachment on public order.

Source:

http://www.itar-tass.com/eng/level2.html?NewsID=12061345&PageNum=0