The International Day of Solidarity with civil society of Belarus this year is organized in a dozen countries for the fourth time. The date of 4 August was not chosen by chance – it was on 4 August, 2011, when a well-known Belarusian human rights defender Ales Bialiatski was arrested in Minsk.

Despite the fact that Ales Bialiatski was released early in 2014, the pressure on human rights defenders and activists has not stopped. At least 6 political prisoners remain imprisoned in Belarus and in the light of the upcoming presidential elections, there is a chance of a new wave of persecution and repressions.

 Belarusian and Lithuanian human rights defenders, social and political activists, representatives of the Belarusian community in Lithuania and passers-by gathered on the Town Hall Square. Everyone had a possibility to take photographs with posters in solidarity with civil society in Belarus and sign a postcard for the Belarusian political prisoners.

It is important to note that the MP Linas Balsys (right), one of the Lithuanian politicians and patrons of the Belarusian political prisoners took part in the event.Mr. Balsys appeared in a special T-shirt with a photo of his supported political prisoner- Mikalai Dziadok.

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To date, 6 Belarusians are illegally imprisoned for their political beliefs. Since 1996, the existence of political prisoners in Belarus has become a permanent issue. Several thousand people have been subjected to all sorts of harassment and repression. Four former political opponents of the president have disappeared, none of the cases has been investigated appropriately.

In previous years, event of the Solidarity Day took place in dozens of countries around the world. According to the organizers, every year the number of participants is increasing significantly.

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