Imprisoned human rights defender Bialacki turns 60

September 25, BPN. Aleś Bialacki, a prominent Belarusian human rights defender and the head of the Viasna Human Rights Center, has turned 60.

Born in 1962 in Russia’s Karelia, Bialacki studied history and linguistics and worked as a teacher before becoming a human rights defender.

He was one of the founding members of the Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) party. In 1996, Bialacki founded Viasna which he has headed since. Authorities have persecuted him for his public and human rights activities, sentencing him in 2011 to four years and six months in prison on politically-motivated charges. He was released in 2014 and arrested again in July 2021 on charges of tax evasion. Human rights groups consider him a political prisoner.

Bialacki received a number of international awards and was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize five times.