Ales Bialiatski

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Detained Since: July 14, 2021

Charges: Tax evasion.

Sentence: 10 years in prison.

Biography: Ales Bialiatski is a prominent Belarusian human rights defender, pro-democracy advocate, and chair of the Human Rights Center, Viasna. Amid personal risks and the specter of reprisals by the authoritarian apparatus of the Belarusian regime—often referred to as "Europe's last dictatorship"—Bialiatski has been a preeminent advocate for democratization and the enshrinement of human rights and civil liberties in Belarus. He was arrested in central Minsk, Belarus, on August 4, 2011 on charges of tax evasion that were widely denounced by human rights observers as spurious. On November 24, 2011, he was imprisoned for four-and-a-half years on charges of "concealment of income on a large scale." He was released on June 21, 2014. Bialiatski is a five-time Nobel Peace Prize nominee and the recipient of multiple human rights advocate awards, including the 2012 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, the 2020 Right Livelihood Award, and the 2020 Sakharov Prize. On July 14, 2021, Bialiatski, along with two other employees of the Human Rights Center, Viasna were arrested following a series of raids and searches of the Center's office and employee's homes. On October 6, 2021, Bialiatski was once again charged with tax evasion on spurious grounds. On September 26, 2022, Belarusian authorities tabled prosecution of Bialiatski on charges of tax evasion and announced new, harsher charges against Bialiatski and one of his associates of "smuggling" and "financing group actions that gravely violate public order," which carry a maximum sentence of twelve years in prison. On October 7, 2022, Bialiatski was awarded the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize along with human rights organizations Memorial of Russia and the Center for Civil Liberties of Ukraine.

On September 27, 2022, Human Rights Center, Viasna and Right Livelihood alerted the United Nations Human Rights Council that Bialiatski is being held in "appalling conditions" in the "special corridor," a semi-basement floor with poor access to light, of the prison where he is currently detained. Additionally, the organizations noted that Bialiatski has been "severely restricted" in his correspondence; his current health condition is uncertain. They implored the Council to "keep the matter under scrutiny" and demand the unconditional release of Bialiatski and fellow dissidents from Belarusian prisons.

Bialiatski has earned several accolades for his work, including the 2012 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize, the 2020 Right Livelihood Award, the 2020 Sakharov Prize, and the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize. He has also received recognitions for his advocacy from several European parliamentary bodies, including the Norwegian Storting and the Polish Sejm.

Advocate:Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN)

Advocacy Partner:PEN America

Updates:

• On October 7, 2022, Bialiatski became one of three 2022 Nobel Peace Prize laureates. Bialiatski and human rights organizations Memorial and Center for Civil Liberties were awarded the prize for their work as "three outstanding champions of human rights, democracy and peaceful coexistence" (October 7, 2022, Associated Press).
• On December 21, 2022, a large mural of Bialiatski was unveiled directly across from the Embassy of Belarus in the Lithuanian capital of Vilnus. The mural also included the text "#FreeBialiatski", "#FreeThemAll, and "Zhyve Belarus", meaning "long live Belarus" in Belarusian (December 21, 2022, Lithuanian National Radio and Television).
• Bialiatski's trial began on January 5, 2023, wherein he, along side two others from Viasna, were tried on charges of "financing protests against the government and of violating public order", facing up to 12 years in prison (January 7, 2023, Voice of America).
• Following the beginning of the trial, the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights released a statement expressing "grave concern" over the trial and its conduct (January 6, 2023, OHCHR).
• Ales Bialiatski was sentenced to 10 years in prison on March 3, 2023 (March 3, 2023, Associated Press). He was convicted of "smuggling by an organised group" and "financing of group actions grossly violating the public order" (March 3, 2023, OHCHR).
• Prior to May 21, 2023, recognized as the Day of Solidarity with Belarusian Political Prisoners, the US Department of State released a statement condemning the unjust detention of Belarusian political prisoners, including Ales Bialiatski and Mikalai Statkevich (May 20, 2023, US Department of State).
• In recognition of the International Day of Solidarity with Prisoners of Conscience in Belarus, PEN International published a letter signed by over 100 Nobel Prize Laureates calling for Bialiatski's release (May 21, 2023, PEN International).
• On December 4, 2023, a petiton was filed with the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention for the case of Ales Bialiatski (December 4, 2023, Perseus Strategies).