Amnesty International initiates lighting of 1,339 candles near Belarusian Embassy in Warsaw

November 5, BPN. About 70 people took part in an action of solidarity with the Belarusian political prisoners in the evening of November 4 in Warsaw.

The action 1,339 Candles for 1,339 People was held near the Belarusian Embassy at the initiative of Amnesty International’s Polish branch. That’s how many people were recognized as Belarus’ political prisoners on the day of the protest’s announcement (October 18).

The organization’s representatives read the Polish translation of human rights activist Marfa Rabkova’s final statement in court, which sentenced her to 15 years in prison. Then there was a performance called “Shout for Belarus”: the protesters made a united shout.

The protesters, mostly Belarusians, left 1,339 lit candles in front of the embassy, which was already closed at that hour.

Human rights activist Źmicier Sałaŭjoŭ called politically motivated justice in Belarus a flying circus. He paid tribute to six of his fellow advocates in the Viasna Human Rights Center, recognized as political prisoners.

“The international community must do its utmost for all political prisoners to be released as soon as possible and for Belarus to be free. We must do everything so that the whole world could see what is being done in our region, in Ukraine and Belarus,” Sałaŭjoŭ said.

As of November 4, 1,374 people were declared political prisoners by the Belarusian human rights community.