Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
Secretary Rice Meets With Belarus Human Rights Defenders
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice met today with a delegation of Belarusian human rights and democracy defenders. She
reiterated the support of the United States for the democratic aspirations of the Belarusian people and stressed that
the United States will continue to speak out for the cause of freedom in Belarus.
The delegation consisted of individuals who are leading the fight to overcome the Lukashenka regime's denial of basic
rights and pervasive repression, including the arbitrary use of state power to suppress independent media and prevention
of free speech and assembly. The group discussed ways in which they can use their strength and unity to achieve a
democratic Belarus.
The delegation included Aleksandr Milinkevich, the 2006 opposition presidential candidate of the Unified Democratic
Forces and recipient of the 2006 Sakharov Prize for Human Rights; Sergey Kalyakin, Anatoliy Lebedko, and Anatoliy
Levkovich, political party leaders and Co-Chairs of the Unified Democratic Forces; Pavel Severinets, Chairperson of
Belarusian Christian Democracy, and former political prisoner; Enira Bronitskaya, a human rights advocate and former
political prisoner; and Dmitry Fedaruk, Acting Chairperson of pro-democracy NGO, "Youth Front".
2007/1085
Released on December 3, 2007
ENDS