OSCE Chairman welcomes release of prisoners in Belarus

Press release 298/2008
22 August, 2008

HELSINKI, 22 August 2008 – The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Alexander Stubb, welcomed today the Belarusian authorities’ release of prisoners Aleksandr Kozulin, Andrey Kim, and Sergei Parsyukevich.

“The international community has been following these cases closely. The release of the prisoners is an encouraging step, especially in light of next month’s parliamentary elections, which will be monitored by the OSCE,” said Minister Stubb.

Aleksandr Kozulin was released on 16 August, and Andrey Kim and Sergei Parsyukevich on 20 August.

More information: Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mikko Hautala, tel. +358 40 834 6758, Counsellor Janne Taalas, Finnish OSCE Chairmanship Task Force, tel. +358 40 728 4015