PES calls on Belarus to free political prisoners
7 June 2006
The President of the Party of European Socialists Poul Nyrup Rasmussen and leading members of the European social democratic family today called for the immediate release of all political prisoners in Belarus.
Members of the PES Presidency including Swedish Development Minister Carin Jamtin, Dutch Labour Party chairman Michiel van Hulten former Greek Minister and Commissioner Vasso Papandreou, Estonian Presidential candidate Toomas Ilves, Irish Labour Party spokesperson on Europe Ruairi Quinn, former French Minister Alain Richard, Spanish MP Rafael Estrella, Polish MP Tadeusz Iwinski, Austrian MP Casper Einem, British MP Eric Joyce and President of ECOSY Giacomo Filibeck signed up to a statement describing the arrest of hundreds of people following protests about the unfair Presidential elections as "unacceptable" and joined Poul Nyrup Rasmussen in calling for the immediate release of all political prisoners.
In a letter addressed to General Prosecutor Piotr Miklashevich, and copied to President Lukashenka and the Belarus Missions to the EU and UN, the Party of European Socialists expresses its "solidarity with all people working for a democratic Belarus" and calls for an immediate end to the "harassment and persecution of the democratic opposition." The letter states "The Belarusian people have the right to enjoy their legitimate democratic and political freedom." It also demands the reinstatement of all those who have lost their jobs or been expelled from university for their political activity.
For more information: Julian Scola, PES Press Officer, tel +32 2 548 9085, mobile +32 486 117 394,
