The Norwegian Helsinki Committee strongly condemns the arrests of Belarusian oppositional leaders and demands their immediate release. Aleksander Milinkevich, leader of the coalition of opposition and presidential candidate during the elections of March 19, right, was today sentenced to 15 days in prison for ´organising an unsanctioned rally´ during the 20-year anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophy yesterday. (28-APR-06) Text and picture: the Norwegian Helsinki Committee Milinkevich and three other central figures of the opposition were arrested yesterday and today. Also Popular Front leader Vintsuk Vyachorka and Labour Party leader Alyaksandr Bukhvostau were this afternoon sentenced to 15 days in prison. Communist Party leader Syarhei Kalyakin received a 14-day sentence. The convictions are obviously politically motivated, and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee fear for the security of the opposition leaders. The Norwegian government condemns the detention of Milinkevich and his colleagues. “Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre will discuss this matter with his colleagues at the meeting of NATO´s foreign ministers in Sofia today”, says Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.
Read the letter to the Belarusian authorities
Read the press release from the Office of the Prime Minister
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Norwegian Helsinki Committee condemns arrests by Belarusian police
The Norwegian Helsinki Committee strongly condemns the arrests of Belarusian oppositional leaders and demands their immediate release. Aleksander Milinkevich, leader of the coalition of opposition and presidential candidate during the elections of March 19, right, was today sentenced to 15 days in prison for ´organising an unsanctioned rally´ during the 20-year anniversary of the Chernobyl catastrophy yesterday. (28-APR-06)
