Bärbel Kofler, member of the executive committee of the SPD parliamentary group in the Bundestag, has taken on a prisoner’s godparenthood for Dzmitry Uss.

 

Bärbel Kofler, Member of the German Bundestag, said:

 

“Dzmitry Uss has done nothing but exercise his clear right to peaceful freedom of expression and political participation. His conviction violates the principles of democracy and his human rights. I call for all political prisoners to be released and for fundamental freedoms and civil rights to be respected in Belarus!”

 

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. Currently, 13 parliamentarians have taken on godparenthoods for political prisoners in Belarus.

 

Dzmitry Uss, a Belarusian lawyer and businessman, was one of several opposition presidential candidates who stood against Alexander Lukashenko in the 2010 elections. Following his participation in protests against the manipulation of the presidential elections, he was found guilty on 26 May 2011 of organising “mass disorder” and sentenced to five and a half years in prison.

 

Belarusian and international human-rights organisations view Dzmitry Uss as a political prisoner and are calling for his immediate and unconditional release.

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