Ales Bialacki is one of three candidates for the Vaclav Havel prize in human rights field

Алесь Бяляцкі

The imprisoned head of the Human Rights Center ”Viasna”, Ales Bialacki, the Young Lawyers’ Association (Georgia) and Rights Defence Network (China) – these are three candidates for Vaclav Havel prize in human rights field. The qualifying committee consisting of independent activists under Jean-Claude Mignon leadership and the head of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) prepared, on the 28th August, a short list on the basis of the selection of 27 candidatures fulfilled the prize criteria.

As the website of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe announces, initially, the jury presents the list of six candidates: Ludmila Aleksejewa (Russia), Ales Bialacki (Belarus), the Young Lawyers’ Association (Georgia), the Hungarian Helsinki Commitee (Hungary), the Psychological Centre of Disabled People’s Protection (Hungary) and Rights Defence Network (China).

The Belorussian rights’ counsellor was supported by over 30 Polish non-governmental organisations. The initiative of  Ales Bialacki enrolment for the Havel prize belongs to the Stefan Batory Foundation.

“It is necessary to support and put in the limelight these people who take a responsibility for human rights defence and this is the only minimum of what we can do for them. This is the point of the prize existence” said Jean-Claude Mignon – the head of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe presenting voting results.

The winner surname will be announced by the head of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the first day of the first autumn session on 30th September 2013 at 12.30 in Strasburg.

The purpose of the Vaclav Havel prize in human rights field is a support for eminent activists in human rights defence in Europe and abroad. The prize is awarded annually before the forum of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Vaclav Havel Library and the fund called “Charter 77”. The amount of the prize is  € 60,000.

 

Other political prisoners

  • Andrej Pratasenia
  • Anton Surapin
  • Artyom Breus
  • Artur Finkievich
  • Ales Strielcov
  • Aliaksandr Malchanau