Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today is the birthday of human rights defender, head of the Viasna Center, and Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski. The regime threw him behind bars simply because he spoke the truth, documented the repressions, and helped the people affected by them. Thanks to his work, the world knew the truth about the situation in our country.
Even during our personal — though very brief — acquaintance, I felt his boundless love for Belarus. A love that seemed to inspire everyone who crossed paths with Ales. He was able to support me when I needed it the most. Although I got to know Ales better through the stories of his colleagues and the people who had the honor of knowing him well, I am certain that the moment will come when we meet again.
You know, after his first imprisonment, Ales said: ‘The thousands of letters I received while I was in prison created a strong moral defense around me. It’s what kept me going and reminded me that I wasn’t there for nothing, that my fight for human rights continued.´
My dear friends! Please continue supporting our political prisoners. Help their families and write letters to prisons. It doesn’t matter what your letter is about — whether it’s the weather, a new book, or daily routines. Every word you write is an immense support and a way to make their day, if only for a moment, a little lighter”.
