Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Nobel Peace Winner Ales Byalyatski's Wife Hopes Telegram Will Reach Him In Prison

Nobel Peace Winner Ales Byalyatski's Wife Hopes Telegram Will Reach Him In Prison

Ales Byalyatski was detained in July last year on what the opposition calls trumped-up accusations including tax evasion.

The wife of Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Byalyatski said on Friday that he may not even know of the news, which she tried to break to him in a telegram to a Belarusian prison.

Natallia Pinchuk told Reuters she had not seen her husband, a leading human rights activist, since he was arrested last year. He is only the fourth person to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize while in detention.

"It's pleasant news and very unexpected. There was absolutely nothing to suggest this could happen," she said in a telephone interview from an undisclosed location.

"I sent him a telegram today, I think I wasn't the only one. Maybe they'll give him these telegrams and he'll get the information and find out about this, I hope so."

State media made no mention of the prize in Belarus. Authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko, an ally of Russia's Vladimir Putin, has jailed or forced into exile all leading opposition figures in a crackdown following a 2020 election that they accused him of stealing.

Byalyatski chose to stay as others fled.

"He knew all the risks, he was very well aware. There were suggestions he should leave. His colleagues were arrested. And he said on principle he was responsible for them and he couldn't leave in view of this grave situation," Pinchuk said.

"How could he leave when they were locked up?"

Faces Up To 12 Years' In Jail


Byalyatski, 60, was eventually detained in July last year on what the opposition calls trumped-up accusations including tax evasion. He is in prison awaiting trial, facing up to 12 years if convicted.

Pinchuk said she did not know how he was bearing up.

"It's hard for me to say because he doesn't write about this in his letters, I think he doesn't want to upset me and doesn't want to talk about that. In any case he always says he's fine. It's hard to say what's behind that ‘fine'," she said.

Pinchuk said she was not at home when the news broke, and missed a number of phone calls and messages until a friend finally managed to reach her.

"Then I saw these missed calls and text messages but the sun was reflecting off the screen and I didn't have my glasses and I couldn't read anything. On the way I started picking up calls but it was very hard to hear because of the car noise."

Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called for the release of Byalyatski and other political prisoners, but Pinchuk was reluctant to speak about what might happen next.

"We all have very secret hopes and are afraid to say them aloud in case the opposite happens."

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
Western Europe Records Hottest June on Record
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
France Requests Airlines to Cut Flights at Paris Airports Amid Planned Air Traffic Controller Strike
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
Robots Compete in Football Tournament in China Amid Injuries
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Germany Votes to Suspend Family Reunification for Asylum Seekers
Budapest Pride Parade Draws 200,000 Participants Amid Government Ban
Southern Europe Experiences Extreme Heat
Xiaomi's YU7 SUV Launch Garners Record Pre-Orders Amid Market Challenges
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's Lavish Wedding in Venice
Russia Launches Largest Air Assault on Ukraine Since Invasion
Massive Anti-Government Protests Erupt in Belgrade
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Hungary's Prime Minister Criticizes NATO's Role in Ukraine
EU TO HUNGARY: LET THEM PRIDE OR PREP FOR SHADE. ORBÁN TO EU: STAY IN YOUR LANE AND FIX YOUR OWN MESS.
Hungarian Scientist to Conduct 30 Research Experiments on the International Space Station
NATO Members Agree to 5% Defense Spending Target by 2035
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
International Astronaut Team Launched to Space Station
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
Oil Prices Set to Surge After US Strikes Iran
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
×