Eurovision winner supports Belarusian political prisoners


“Hold on to your heart and mind,” Loreen wrote in her message to Ales Bialiatski.
On July 14 Loreen, a Swedish singer of Moroccan descent, posted the information about her meeting with Natallia Pinchuk, the wife of political prisoner Ales Bialiatski, human rights defender Valiantsin Stefanovich and independent journalists to Facebook. During their meeting the singer set a lot of questions.
She took a great interest in rights observance in Belarus, political prisoners’ conditions of confinement, last year’s “silent protests” and Viasna human rights centre. Loreen had a long talk to Natallia Pinchuk and mentioned it in her Facebook: “I also met with Ales’ wife, Natalia Pinchuk, who described how her husband is getting less food and is restricted from receiving visits from friends and family. I was deeply touched by her story.”
“You are a strong woman,” Loreen told Natallia. “And I understand why Ales loves you.”
As Loreen was born and raised in Morocco, human rigts abuse is cold news for the singer. But it took her a lot of time to make a decision on giving a performance at Slavyanski Bazar International Cultural Festival in Vitsebsk. Not wishing to disappoint her fans in Belarus she agreed to participate. But then Loreen headed for Minsk in Q.T to meet up with Belarusian dissidents and independent journalists.
“Irina Vidanava, founder of the multimedia magazine 34 … gave an alarming picture of how few independent media there are left in the country,” Loreen stressed. The singer signed a petition on the abolition of death penalty in Belarus. She also called her fans to react on WeAllAreAles.
Belsat
TWITTER