Imprisoned human rights defender Ales Bialiatski expressed his gratitude to Loreen who met with his wife Natallia Pinchuk during her visit to Belarus in July 2012, spring96.org reports.
Human rights centre Viasna (Spring) has published the full and untouched text of it:
“Dear Loreen,
I would like very much to thank you for the moral support you gave me last year during your visit to Minsk and this year during an international meeting of human rights defenders in Stockholm.
I am very pleased with a purely human attention of yours to my fate and the fate of my family. I want to tell you that the continued support of me, my wife and my son help me find it easier to go through the difficult situation in which I am now. But they need support, too. So for me your meeting with my wife Natallia was very important. With your attention and open stand towards human rights you break the stereotype of a pop singer, which has been thus improving. I also like to break stereotypes, and in this we are similar. For a year from time to time the local radio has broadcast your song. And each time I received from you a piece of your energy.
Infinitely grateful,
With respect,
Ales Bialiatski”
Ales Bialiatski, Vice-president of the International Federation for Human Rights, was sentenced to 4.5 years of imprisonment and seizure of property for alleged tax evasion. The fact of his holding bank accounts in Poland and Lithuania gave the grounds for criminal prosecution. The cash standing to the credit of accounts was used for human rights defence activity: the centre financially supported the people affected by Lukashenka’s regime. In court Bialiatski stated that he had no other possibility of getting financial aid from foreign backers.
