Manfred Weber, Member of the European Parliament and of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs has taken on a prisoner’s godparenthood for DzmitryNovik.

 

The Member of the European Parliament said:

"Freedom of speech and the wish for democratic participation are core human rights for everyone and everywhere.DzmitryNovik also stands for these rights, and, in consequence, he was sentenced to imprisonment. I would like to support his goals and his engagement by taking over this god-parenthood. I ask the government of Belarus to treat DzmitryNovik according to constitutional procedures and to release him from prison."

 

The Prisoner’s Godparenthood campaign for political prisoners in Belarus was initiated by the human-rights organisation Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights to support the prisoners and their families.

 

DzmitryNovik, a member of the opposition presidential candidate Andrej Sannikau’s campaign team, was arrested on December 23th 2010 and was accused of having taken part in a  mass riot, which refers to protests against the forged presidental elections on 19th and 20th December 2010. On March 2nd 2011 DzmitryNovik was condemned to 3.5 years of imprisonment.

 

Belarusian and international human-rights organisations regard DzmitryNovik as a prisoner of conscience and are calling for his immediate and unconditional release.

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