15. March 2010 – Aleh Surhan: Prisoner of conscience in Belarus
47-year-old Aleh Surhan, activist of the oppositional and not yet registered Belarusian Christian Democracy party was sentenced on February 19th 2010 to 6 months of arrest and a penalty of around 625 Euros. Libereco - Partnership for Human Rights believes that Aleh Surhan is a prisoner of conscience and appeals to release him immediately and unconditionally. Please sign our petition and send him a greeting card!
The activist of the Belarusian Christian Democracy was found guilty of alleged resistance to the police.
He was arrested on Sept 3rd, 2009, together with his brother Taras, at a bus stop near the building of the medical university, on top of which the white-red-white flag was hung out. While Aleh Surhan was being driven to police station he was beaten by police officers. Photos taken after this event show that Aleh Surhan had bruises and scratches on his face and arms.
After Aleh Surhan wrote a complaint to the prosecutor’s office about his mistreatment, the accusation against him was changed. The charge of displaying a white-red-white flag, which is a symbol of the opposition of Belarus, was replaced by imaginary accusations. He was accused of having been drunk in public, swearing and insulting the policemen. Despite the fact that he had been maltreated himself, the policemen stated that he had resisted the arrest and had bitten a policeman’s finger. As the policemen were the only witnesses in this case, the court hearing has to be called unfair.
Belarusian Human Rights Organisations like Viasna and Salidarnasc consider the sentence of Aleh Surhan as politically motivated in order to punish him for his oppositional activities. The true reason of his sentence was not the supposed resistance to the police but the display of a white-red-white flag in Vitebsk on September 3rd 2009, expressing his dissident opinion.
Please support our petition and send back your signed lists before 31.05.2010 to our address:
Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights · P.O. Box 74 88 · 53074 Bonn · Germany
We will collect all lists and send them to the Belarusian President.
Furthermore please send a greeting card to Aleh Surhan to let him be aware of your support and solidarity. Your greetings will give him hope and strength.
Please send your card to this address:
211791 Glubokoe, Vitebsk Region
PK 13, Areshtny Dom,
Otryad 13, Aleh Surhan
BELARUS
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