Press release 21 August 2008
Ministry for Foreign Affairs

Political prisoners in Belarus freed

The three last remaining political prisoners in Belarus have been freed. Former presidential candidate Alexander Kozulin was pardoned on Saturday by President Alexander Lukashenko and on Wednesday Sergei Parsyukevich and Andrei Kim were released from prison.

"Sweden welcomes the release of the last remaining political prisoners in Belarus. It is important now that Belarus does not again imprison people on political grounds," says Minister for Foreign Affairs Carl Bildt.

"The elections in Belarus in September will be an important test of whether the country is on the path to greater openness, democracy and respect for human rights. We hope so, and encourage this move. Developments towards democracy make it possible for Sweden and the EU to begin normalising their relations with Belarus," says Carl Bildt.

------------------------

Parsyukevich and Kim were jailed in the spring after taking part in a demonstration by business owners. Kozulin was imprisoned in 2006 convicted of alleged hooliganism in connection with a demonstration in Minsk.