BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

24/01/2008

Belarus frees opposition figure whose imprisonment was condemned by US

MINSK, Belarus (AP) - An opposition leader whose imprisonment was condemned by the United States and the European Union has been released two months before the end of his sentence.

Zmitser Dashkevich, a leader of the Young Front organization, said he was released late Wednesday night. He was imprisoned in November 2006 after being convicted

on charges of engaging in activities for an unregistered political organization.

Dashkevich is one of the most prominent members of the beleaguered opposition to authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko. The United States, which has characterized Lukashenko as "the last dictator in Europe"

has frozen some Belarusian government assets, imposed travel restrictions on some officials and threatened more sanctions if Belarus does not ease pressure on the opposition.

Washington and the EU had demanded Dashkevich's release. Belarusian officials declined to comment on the release.

"Lukashenko stole more than a year of my life and for my freedom I should thank not him, but rights defenders and the U.S. and EU," Dashkevich told The Associated Press.

Source:

http://www.pr-inside.com/belarus-frees-opposition-figure-whose-r402446.htm