On the International Day of Solidarity with the Civil Society of Belarus, people came to the Belarusian Embassy in Vilnius wearing masks with the faces of the imprisoned human rights defenders "Viasna".

August 4 is the International Day of Solidarity with the Civil Society of Belarus.

On this day in 2011, the head and founder of the Viasna human rights center

was arrested in Minsk .

Then he was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for "concealing profits on a particularly large scale."

The human rights defender did not admit his guilt, saying that all the money from the accounts went to human rights activities.

He was held behind bars for almost three years and then released under amnesty.

9 years ago, on August 4, 2013, "Vyasna" and other activists, as a sign of protest against the persecution of Bialiatski, went to the Belarusian embassy in Vilnius wearing masks with his face to say that, despite the arrest of the leader, "Viasna" will continue its activities and that the persecution of the founder of the "Viasna" organization is perceived as the persecution of every friend of "Viasna".

Belarusian Embassy in Vilnius

Now, seven "springmen" are behind bars because of their human rights activities:

and

"We need to fight not only for the release of all political prisoners, while simultaneously supporting them, but also for the restoration of justice and the promotion of human rights in Belarus.

For this, all possible methods should be used.

The Day of Solidarity with the Civil Society of Belarus is one of the reasons to once again remind the state of its demands to release political prisoners, and the Belarusian and international community that our struggle is not over.

"Spring" is and will be until at least one political prisoner remains behind bars and until justice is restored!"

- says "Viasna" human rights defender

.

Human rights defender "Viasna" Diana Pinchuk

The trial of Marfa Rabkova and Andrei Chapyuk has been going on for the fourth month - they face up to 20 and 8 years in prison, respectively.

Leonid and Tatiana are already serving their terms in the colonies for helping Belarusians.

And the investigation of Valentin, Ales and Ulad continued until October - they have been under investigation in SIZA-1 for more than a year.

Most of the members of the organization were forced to leave the country due to persecution in order to continue their human rights activities and help repressed Belarusians.

SEE ALSO: On August 4, the world celebrates the Day of Solidarity with the Civil Society of Belarus

SEE ALSO: Marfa Rabkova: "I feel as if these 19 months in prison did not exist, that I dreamed all of this.

But those were bitter thoughts"

SEE ALSO: What the government of Belarus replied to the UN on the "Viasna case"

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