Petition In defense of Belarus imprisoned anarchists
MinskSolidarity | 20.09.2011 21:23 | Repression
http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/in-defense-of-belarus-imprisoned-anarchists.html
Russian http://www.petitiononline.com/6polit/petition.html
English http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/in-defense-of-belarus-imprisoned-anarchists.html
The petition has also been signed by members of several political parties and organisations in Belarus and abroad:
Nikolai Khalezin, Art Director at Belarus Free Theatre
Aleh Novikau, chairman of Belorussian "Green" party
Yury Glushakov, deputy chairman of Belorussian "Green" party
Ales Mihalevic, ex-candidate for the presidential post and nowadays political emigrant
Alexey Shidlovsky, one of the first Belorussian political prisoners, political emigrant
Irina Khalip, journalist and editor, wife of the ex-candidate Andrey Sannikov
Alexandr Feduta, journalist
One of the first to sign was journalist Alexandr Feduta, former cellmate of anarchist Igor Olinevich in KGB pre-trial detention prison. I shared a cell for one month with Igor Olinevich and have signed this petition with full conscience because I know: this guy has received eight years in prison for nothing, just because he hasn't surrendered and didn't admit fault", - admitted Alexandr Feduta in his blog.
Anatoly Lebedko, Chairman of United Civil party (Belarus) said
"As to Igor and others, it is a case with underlying political reason. Authorities needed to show a successful fight with "local terrorism". It's very easy to show that in conditions of absence of an independent judicial system. Besides I have spent more than a month with Igor in one cell, and have concluded my own opinions about him, as a person and a citizen. United Civil Party considers that in the conditions of absence of an independent judicial system, in a situation of ceaseless hunting for dissidents, the detainees of the "arson case" could and should be considered political prisoners".
Sergey Martselev, former leader of Nikolay Statkievich's electoral headquarters
"I have spent a month in one cell with Igor Olinevich. He is courageous and person of principles, charges against of him are based on false denunciations, therefore I want to join the petition in his defence," - noted Sergey Martselev.
Igor Lyalkov, first deputy chairman of the party BNF
"Anarchists - political prisoners, without their liberation the dialogue with Lukashenko is impossible. It is the position of Party BNF and of all reasonable people," - considers the first deputy chairman of the party BNF Igor Lyalkov.
Andrzej Pochobut, journalist of Polish newspaper GazetaWyborcza
"I've also signed this petition. After litigation and statements of witnesses about the pressure upon them there was a steady sensation that Nikolay Dedok, Alexandr Frantskevich and Igor Olinevich were simply appointed guilty, and "the most humane court in the world" has banally executed the order of special forces." - journalist Andrzej Pochobut, political prisoner condemned in July 2011 for 3 years conditionally under the article 367 of Criminal Code "Slander of the President".
Kiryll Atamanchik, coordinator of youth initiative StudAlliance
"It's insulting to see such situation in the country. People are getting thrown into prison on forged cases, their friends and relatives are threatened. Just like in a country with occupational martial law. Horror ... With Nikolay Dedok I've been in correspondence through LJ. It was interesting to always have constructive discussions with him. It's very nice when young men in any country have such civic consciousness and it's twice more pleasant that there are such people in Belarus where it is so necessary. The student's community of EHU from the very beginning consistently supported Nikolay Dedok's liberation. Litigation which sentenced Nikolay for four and a half years of prison was ridiculous. The Law in Belarus was soaked with mud and thrown in the trash. I, my friends, and also my colleagues, we will all make efforts to make it as soon as possible for Nikolay to leave the cells of that establishment where there should be those who judged it ", - the publicist and the coordinator of youth initiative StudAlliance Cyril Atamanchik said.
Nikita Lihovid, ex-political prisoner
"They are condemned for political reasons. Personally for me, they are political prisoners, therefore their liberation should be demanded together with defendants of the December 19th case and on the Lobov-Dashkevich case. All of them together are political prisoners," - says ex- political prisoner Nikita Lihovid who has spent 81 days in a penal insulator of the Novopolotsk colony.
Pavel Vinogradov, ex-political prisoner
"With Alexander Frantskevich I have spent some months in a pre-trial detention center, and then other 3 months in "The Wolf Holes Prison". Where of course we were also in contact, though we were in different groups. On 9th of September Mirzayanov and Lobov and I were all suggested to sign the petition for pardon, but he has refused (as well as all of us). I think that all of them should be set free (anarchists - ed.), as I'm aware of the pressure upon them during the investigation and how the court proceedings took place "," - the former political prisoner Pavel Vinogradov admits.
Brief review of the process of Belarusian anarchists
http://spring96.org/en/news/43788
MinskSolidarity
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