Bundestag MP once again sends birthday wishes to Belarusian imprisoned trade union activist
A member of the German Bundestag Helge Limburg, who has taken on a symbolic partnership with a Belarusian political prisoner and trade union activist Andrei Paheryla, has once again sent him a letter. In it, the MP wished Andrei a happy birthday and reminded him that he has not been forgotten in Germany.
Andrei Paheryla is a former maintenance fitter at the Ammonia-3 unit of Grodno Azot and an activist in the independent workers’ movement. He was detained on 17 September 2021 as part of the criminal case against Rabochy Rukh and accused of “high treason”. Andrei was later sentenced to 14 years in prison. He has two minor children.
The MP’s previous birthday letter was returned to him. According to Limburg, the Belarusian prison authorities apparently failed to deliver it to Paheryla’s current place of detention. He therefore sent his birthday wishes again, expressing the hope that Andrei would regain his freedom as soon as possible and be reunited with his loved ones.
“Above all, I wish that you will soon regain your freedom and be able to spend your days surrounded by your loved ones,” Limburg wrote.
The MP also noted that he has still not received a single reply from Andrei. He believes this may be because the Belarusian authorities are not delivering his letters to the prisoner.
In his letter, Limburg also drew particular attention to prisoners’ right to maintain contact with the outside world. He expressed the hope that the Belarusian authorities would ensure that prisoners are able to correspond with relatives, friends and those who support them.
As in his previous letters, the MP enclosed several blank sheets of paper so that Andrei could reply. “I would be very pleased to receive a letter from you,” Helge Limburg wrote at the end of his message.
Helge Limburg represents Alliance 90/The Greens (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen) in the Bundestag. He has supported Andrei Paheryla for a long time and regularly sends him letters, helping to ensure that the fate of the Belarusian political prisoner remains on the agenda of German politicians and the international public.
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