Belarus frees opposition leader

Belarusian opposition leader and former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov was unexpectedly released from prison on the 14 April 2012 following pressure on the ex-Soviet republic by the European Union.

Poland, which had taken the lead in the EU in trying to curb Alexander Lukashenko, the authoritarian who has ruled Belarus since 1994., welcomed Mr Sannikov’s liberation but also called for 'the immediate release of all the remaining political prisoners in Belarus'.

BBC News, 16.4.12; Release of dissidents in Belarus brings EU praise http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17726394

EUObserver, 16.4.12: Freed Belarus dissident credits EU sanctions http://euobserver.com/24/115886

EurActiv, 16.4.12: EU hails release of two Belarus political prisoners http://www.euractiv.com/europes-east/eu-welcomes-release-belarus-political-prisoners-news-512165

Wikipedia: Andrei Sannikov http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrei_Sannikov

ESO: Background information: Belarus: Presidential Election, 19 December 2010 http://www.europeansources.info/record/belarus-presidential-election-19-december-2010/

ESO: Background information: Belarus' brutal crackdown on dissidents – the 19 December anniversary http://www.europeansources.info/record/belarus-brutal-crackdown-on-dissidents-the-19-december-anniversary/

EU: EEAS: EU relations with Belarus http://eeas.europa.eu/belarus/index_en.htm

EU: EEAS: Press Release, A174/12: Statement by High Representative Catherine Ashton on the release of Belarusian former Presidential candidate Andrei Sannikaw http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_Data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/129536.pdf

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