Marek Migalski
In the framework of the Prisoner’s Godparenthood campaign of Libereco, Marek Migalski, Member of European Parliament, stated on the release of Siarhei Kavalenka:
“On September 27, Siarhei Kavalenka was released. I have been his patron for a long time, so his release is one of my happiest days. Siarhei Kavalenka wrote a petition for pardon to the president, but he didn’t plead guilty. It shows, that not the regime destroys Kavalenka, but vice versa.
I am greatly happy, that the actions, I took to release Kavalenka, have succeeded. Among other things, I was sending letters to the Belarusian superior court, to the Prosecutor General and to the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz. Being Kavalenka’s patron, I spoke up for him at the international scene. First of all, I got intensely involved into a campaign to recognise Kavalenka as a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International. In spite of my appeals, Amnesty International refused him to this status. I also addressed my appeal to public figures, among others to Lech Wałęsa and Dmitry Medvedev, calling them to support Kavalenka and the campaign to recognize him as a prisoner of conscience. In addition, staff of my office created a web page dedicated to Kavalenka www.freekavalenka.org, where you could find information about his case. At this page Lew Ponomariow, Marieluise Beck, Irina Bogdanova, Vladimir Bukovski, Ales Michalevich, together with lots of organisations encourage signing up the petition for Kavalenka’s release. We managed to collect 2500 signatures. We also organised an initiative with collecting presents for Kavalenka’s children on the occasion of International Children’s Day on 1 June.
Moreover, I have been keeping in touch with Kavalenka’s wife all the time. Among others, we met up at a press conference in Warsaw, that’s was dedicated to Siarhei. Last time, shortly before Kavalenka’s release, she was on a visit to a round table that was dedicated to the situation in Belarus after parliament elections and took place on 24 September. During this conference staff of my office was shooting videos with participation of Belarusian activists, who were encouraging to sign up the petition for Kavalenka’s release. I am highly pleased that now these videos as well as other auxiliary materials are not necessary any more. Thanks to all, who joined the campaign for Kavalenka’s release.”
