We are deeply saddened by the passing of our colleague Aleh Hulak, who was the Chairperson of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee. Aleh was an accomplished advocate and defender of human rights and democarcy, and a leading figure in the Belarusian human rights movement.

In 1996, he joined the Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHC) which later became one of the founding members of EPDE. We worked with Aleh for well over 15 years and enjoyed a fruitful cooperation until shortly before his death. Just last week, we met him along with other member organizations to celebrate EPDE’s 10-year anniversary in Warsaw and to discuss strategies to promote free elections in Belarus and across Europe.

On behalf of all EPDE members, we want to express our deepest condolences to his family and friends, his colleagues at BHC, and the human rights movement in Belarus. We mourn the death of a great friend and colleague who will be dearly missed.