Feedback September 25th is the birthday of Ales Bialiatski, a vice-president of an International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and head of the human rights center “Viasna” – a member organisation of the FIDH in Belarus, who has been imprisoned in Minsk since August 2011.
Souhayr Belhassen, the president of FIDH, wished Ales a happy birthday on behalf of all the member organisations of the FIDH and expressed her confidence in him being released soon. “We are doing everything possible to meet with you in the nearest future and celebrate your release together,” she wrote in her letter to him. Additionally, other members of the FIDH from different countries of the world, as well as employees of the International Secretariat based in Paris, sent birthday cards and letters of support to Ales.
In order to centralise the acts of solidarity organised by the human rights defenders, FIDH created a trilingual website that will post, on a regular basis, news from Ales, official announcements and declarations from international organisations related to his case, information about the acts of support and solidarity, and publications about the situation in Belarus.
“We also wanted to pay a tribute to our closest friend and colleague Ales, and to his personal qualities – courage, charm, determination and persistence. We gathered all the video-performances and photographs that at least partially reflect his activities from the last 7 years, and we are happy and honored for being able to work with him,” mentioned Souhayr Belhassen. “The vice-president of FIDH, Ales Bialiatski, is not only a remarkable Belarusian human rights defender, but also a figure of regional and international importance.”
Georgia in 2008 right after the war with Russia, south Kyrgyzstan that was still enveloped in violence and fire in June of 2010, revolutionary Tunisia in the spring of 2011… Ales was always there, where his help and participation was needed, where his experience and determination gave people hope and strength. Today, Ales himself is in need of strength and hope, and I wish from all my heart for our friend to have good health, strength and most all, for his quick release. I am confident, that we still have many interesting and substantive trips around the world ahead of us.”