Lithuania is going to monitor the trial over the human rights activist Ales Byalyatski.
If necessary, an appropriate response will follow, said the Foreign Minister of Lithuania Audronius Ažubalis, DELFI reports.
"Lithuania will monitor the trial closely. Our diplomats will take an active part, and are taking an active part in the trial which has started today. Judging by how it would proceed, what charges will be presented; we shall make conclusions and respond accordingly. We can do that in a very simple way, it could be a reaction as the chair of the OSCE, a reaction of the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry head. Everything is to depend on the situation, what charges there will be, and what would be the grounds for the charges," Ažubalis said to journalists on November 2.
Lithuania informed that it considers a possibility to award Byalyatski the Prize of Freedom, which is given for achievements and contribution of persons and organisations in the cause of human rights defense, development of democracy, promotion of international cooperation in the fight for freedom of choice and sovereignty of the nations of Eastern and Central Europe.
The prize, 5000 Euro a year, will be granted to human rights activists of Eastern and Central Europe. A special commission which is to give the parliament its conclusions about the contender for the prize to be given, is to choose winners every year. The prize itself is to be awarded by the parliament before December 23, the award is to be presented on January 13, on the Day of Fighters for Freedom in Lithuania.
