Bialiatski spoke about meeting with Cowl
"He is not an official; he approaches this matter largely from a human perspective."
Photo: NED
Ales Bialiatski, chairman of the "Viasna" Human Rights Center and Nobel laureate, met with US President's Special Envoy for Belarus, John Cowl, in Washington on September 8th.
Bialiatski said in an interview with "Voice of America" that he and Cowl have a good relationship.
"He is not an official; he approaches this matter largely from a human perspective. And, of course, I am very grateful to him for specifically pulling me out of Lukashenka's prison. In general, I would say the conversation was warm.
I told him the latest news from Belarus, which, unfortunately, is not very cheerful. Again, detentions, arrests. Yesterday, a verdict was delivered to the lawyer who defended me in 2011, Dzmitry Layeuski. He received three years in a real colony, and he was simply arrested and imprisoned in the courtroom.
Of course, we are very grateful that the American administration is dealing with Belarusian political prisoners. But for me personally, the main issue is to stop the repressions. That's what I said yesterday during the presentation of the medal [from the National Endowment for Democracy]: our mission is not over; almost a thousand Belarusian political prisoners are currently in prison.
A larger group is expected to be released, but nevertheless, the number of people remaining in inhumane conditions in Belarusian prisons is in the hundreds.
And it is very important that this release process continues, and at the same time, a balance is maintained, because the problem with human rights and democratic freedoms in the country is very acute. And merely releasing political prisoners does not solve it.
The American administration is pursuing a humanitarian track aimed at releasing political prisoners. I compare this to talking to bandits who have captured a group of people, and negotiating with these bandits: "Give us 10 people - we'll give you a car. Give us another 10 people - we'll give you, for example, a helicopter."
There is a humanitarian release of, in fact, hostages who are in the hands of the Belarusian regime. But the situation is not simple, and, unfortunately, it's too early to talk about any positive changes having begun."
Bialiatski says that Lukashenka receives sanctions relief in exchange for the release of political prisoners.
"His latest statement about a ship loaded with potash fertilizers, which will go to America, indicates that, yes, some sanctions have been lifted.
I don't know how much they exchanged me for – for a thousand tons, for 10 thousand tons of these potash fertilizers. Here I am free; my freedom cost that much.
And at the same time, of course, the balance is important: what can be traded, and what should not be given away. And my appeal, during contacts with American politicians, was, of course, that this balance must be considered, and one must look under a magnifying glass not to give away too much.
The regime is insidious, the regime is cunning; they strive to maintain control over Belarusian society, primarily, of course, through repression.
But, on the other hand, they agree to this exchange because they are forced to. The economic situation is bad, there is complete political and economic isolation; pressure has started to be put on the Belarusian regime.
Russia cannot help economically as it did before. This is also a very serious factor why Lukashenka has now started a separate game with American diplomats and the American administration."
Cowl is expected to visit Minsk on September 15th.