Julia Mickiewicz – pro-democracy campaigner and member of the Belarus Coordination Council – was scheduled to meet with high-level liberals in Sweden today; instead Belarusian dictator Lukashenko has detained her in prison in Belarus, well-known for its brutality.

This weekend, Julia Mickiewicz, member of the Belarus Coordination Council, was arrested by the Belarusian authorities. In a sham trial she was sentenced to 15 days in prison for taking part in and organising the mass protests for democracy that have been ongoing across Belarus for several weeks.

Julia Mickiewicz was today due to be in Stockholm, meeting with among others LI Bureau member Abir al Sahlani, MEP, and Kerstin Lundgren, MP, foreign policy spokesperson for Centerpartiet (LI full member). Instead, she is in detention in a Belarusian prison, where it is by now well known that political prisoners are treated brutally.

Alexander Lukashenko must accept and respect the will of his people and step down. The global attention and popular support that activists such as Julia have won since August this year demonstrate that there is no place in Europe for such dictators. We urge the Belarusian authorities to release all political prisoners, including Julia Mickiewicz, to recognise the universal human rights of their citizens, and to allow the country to conduct free and fair elections.

In a webinar discussion with LI Human Rights Committee Chair Astrid Thors on October 2nd, Julia Mickiewicz asked the international community to remember the Belarusian people and to show the regime that they are not alone.

Liberal International continues to stand with the democracy movement of Belarus.

Kerstin Lundgren, MP
Third deputy speaker of the Swedish parliament and foreign policy spokesperson for Centerpartiet

Abir al Sahlani, MEP
LI Vice President and LI Human Rights Committee Member

Astrid Thors
LI Vice President and Chair of the LI Human Rights Committee