On 12 August Mikalai Statkevich, a Belarusian political prisoner, who was a candidate at the last presidential elections of 2010, will celebrate his 59th birthday. It is his fifth birthday behind bars, which he endures in a high security prison. From his cell he does not see the sky, clouds, the sun or trees.
Activists of Libereco, Amnesty International, Ostgruppen, Svaboda Institute, Wspolna and others, together with family members of Mikalai Statkevich, take up his birthday to organize a solidarity action for him – #Sky4Statkevich.
We ask every supporter to publish an own photo of the sky, clouds or the sun on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram with a hashtag #Sky4Statkevich. In addition you could send your photo to media@libereco.org. Libereco will send all photos to Mikalai Statkevich and to his family, and will also publish the photos on the Libereco Facebook page.
Mikalai Statkevich was detained at the night of the last presidential elections in December 2010 and was sentenced in an unfair trail to 6 years in prison for political reasons in May 2011. The Belarusian election committee denied his registration for the next presidential elections that will take place on 11 October 2015. Belarusian and international human rights organisations regard Mikalai Statkevich as a prisoner of conscience and are calling for his immediate and unconditional release.
Update 22.08.2015: Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenka released all political prisoners.
