Marek Migalski: I hope that Statkevich will regain freedom and later see Belarus free

Polish member of the European Parliament sent birthday greetings to imprisoned Belarusan. The former presidential candidate, who is serving a six-year prison sentence, turned 57 on August 12.

In his message, Marek Migalski expresses hope that this will be Mikalai. Statkevich's last birthday behind bars, BelaPAN said.

"I've never met with Mr. Statkevich, but I have the impression that he is very close to me," he writes. "I know his wife, his story, I know about his struggle for democracy and the freedom of his people. I can assure [you] that a large part of the Poles admire and support him, those who believe in God pray for him because what he did and is doing and how he is enduring trials in his fate deserves admiration. I hope that this sad birthday will be the last one in his life, and that sooner or later, he will regain freedom himself and later see Belarus free."

Let us recall that in May 2011, a district judge in Minsk sentenced Mikalai Statkevich to six years in a medium-security prison, finding him guilty of organizing "mass disorder" in connection with a post-election protest staged in the Belarusan capital city on December 19, 2010. In a trial in Shklou, Mahilou region, on January 12, 2012, a judge found him guilty of violating prison rules and ordered him placed in a higher-security correctional institution for three years. The charge was brought against Mr. Statkevich because of his missing number tag and failure to mention handkerchiefs among his personal items.

Mr. Statkevich has repeatedly refused offers of freedom in exchange for asking Aliaksandr Lukashenka for a presidential pardon. While meeting with his wife on July 2, Mr. Statkevich said that "even if the entire pro-democratic community asked him to do this, he would not listen.”

In October 2011, the office of Mr. Migalski launched a campaign of solidarity with Mr. Statkevich and another imprisoned Belarusan opposition politician, Zmicier Dashkevich. A website, www.2free.eu, was launched in the framework of the campaign to inform the public about Mr. Migalski's efforts to secure the release of Messrs. Statkevich and Dashkevich and about their current situation.