Scottish ministers show support for Belarusian political prisoners

Humza Yousaf

The #WeStandBYyou campaign, organised by the human rights group Libereco, advocates for the release of those imprisoned because of their political commitment to democracy in the country and to free and fair elections.

A total of five Scottish government ministers, including First Minister Humza Yousaf, will join European politicians to offer support individuals who have been imprisoned during the current political regime in Belarus. The First Minister will become the 400th politician and the first head of a European government to participate formally in the scheme.

Mr Yousaf, who recently invited Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to Scotland, said: “Politicians who rage against democracy never prevail. I watched aghast as Lukashenko stole the election in Belarus in 2020, and the brutal crackdown on those who disagreed with him that followed.

“As the first head of a government anywhere in the world to sponsor a political prisoner of the Belarus regime, I encourage others to join Scotland in unequivocally condemning the abuses carried out by the Lukashenko regime against the Belarusian people.

“Dzmitryi has been handed a nine-year prison sentence – simply for exercising his freedom to speak out, and protest. I hope that by shining a light on what him and others are facing in Belarus, I and the government I lead can raise awareness of and support for him, and for the thousands of other political prisoners.”