[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6363]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




      CALLING UPON THE BELARUSIAN OFFICIALS FOR THE IMMEDIATE AND 
            UNCONDITIONAL RELEASE OF ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS

  (Mr. SHIMKUS asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Mr. Speaker, every individual has a right to live in a 
free society. This May, the Ice Hockey World Championship 2014 will 
take place in Minsk, Belarus, challenging the Belarusian Government to 
demonstrate that it lives up to the core principles of good 
sportsmanship and fair play.
  This global sports competition promotes integrity and emphasizes the 
fair application of rules and regulations. It is thus fitting that 
Belarus should do the same and show its citizens and the international 
community that it can play by the rules.
  I then call upon the Belarusian officials for the immediate and 
unconditional release of all political prisoners, including Ales 
Bialiatski, Mikalai Statkevich, and Eduard Lobau, whom Amnesty 
International regards as prisoners of conscience, imprisoned solely for 
the peaceful exercise of their human rights.

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