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<p><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 14pt">April 27, 2006 <i>(3:30 p.m. EDT)</i><br>
No. 44</span></span></p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 14pt">CANADA CONDEMNS ARREST OF BELARUSIAN OPPOSITION
LEADER</span></span><span style="font-size: 14pt"></span></p>
<br>
<p>Foreign Affairs Minister Peter MacKay today issued the following statement in reaction
to the arrest of Belarus’s opposition leader, Alexander Milinkevich, and his sentence to
15 days in jail:</p>
<br>
<p>“Canada condemns the arrest and detention of Alexander Milinkevich simply for
exercising his democratic right of peaceful assembly, and we call for his immediate
release. This is another example of how the Belarus regime is denying freedom and
democracy in that country.</p>
<br>
<p>“Canada has repeatedly called on the regime in Belarus to respect its citizens’ rights to
peaceful protest and free speech. Both the Prime Minister and I have denounced the
actions of the Belarus government and, in March, the Government of Canada
announced a decision to limit its official relations with Belarusian authorities.” </p>
<br>
<p style="text-align: center">- 30 -</p>
<br>
<p>For further information, media representatives may contact:</p>
<br>
<p>Media Relations Office<br>
Foreign Affairs Canada<br>
(613) 995-1874<br>
<a href="https://bac-lac.wayback.archive-it.org/web/20070221013202/http://www.international.gc.ca/"><span style="color: #0000ff"><span style="text-decoration: underline">http://www.international.gc.ca</span></span></a><span style="color: #000000"></span></p>
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