The Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, The Young Front and the Movement For Freedom have turned to international human rights organization Amnesty International to recognize Priest Uladzislaw Lazar a prisoner of conscience.

Representatives of the BCD, the Young Front and the Movement For Freedom held a press conference on Friday to re-draw public attention to the arrest and detention of Priest Uladzislaw Lazar.

Co-chairman of BCD Pavel Sieviaryniec: “we have received clear information: if a priest Lazar is still held in the KGB detention center, it is a real threat to his life and health. We believe that the priest Lazar is a political hostage. He is an innocent man. Therefore, today we turn to the human rights organization Amnesty International on behalf of our three organizations – BCD, the Young Front and the Movement For Freedom – to appeal to recognize Priest Lazar a prisoner of conscience.”

The organizations collected more than 5,000 signatures under the demand to release Father Lazar, some of them were sent to the Attorney General and the KGB.

There is no new information on the fate of the priest. The KGB is silent. Attorney of Priest Lazar was forced to sign a document obliging him not to disclose any information concerning the investigation.

Father Uladzislaw Lazar is accused under paragraph 1 of the article 356 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (state treason). He was accused of sending money and material goods to a man who is accused of spying for another country.

svaboda.org