No to repressions against Belarusian youth!

Dear Sir/Madam,
In our country we are facing the pressure on young people whose political views differ from the governement’s. They are excluded from the universities, put into prison. KGB agents illegally enter their dwellings, have them shadowed, tap their phones, exert psychological influence on their parents.

Students who study abroad, while entering the country are arrested at the customs, their notebooks and private belongings are confiscated. They are haunted by phone calls from KGB. Their holidays in Belarus become psychologically unbearable.

Young people who speak Belarusian language, wear Belarusian symbolic are punished at their working and study places.

Administrative legal cases are full of false accusations. For spreading of agitation leaflets they get from 5 to 15 days prison sentence. Even underage girls are put into prison. To stop all this young people have to organize hunger strikes.

After the presidential elections 2006 Belarus suffered from the repressions. About 1000 people were punished under the administrative law. Some of them were beaten by the militia and sentenced to long time imprisonment.

More than 150 students were excluded from the universities. For active participation in political life of the country and their democratic political position Paval Seviarynetz, Artur Finkevich, Zmitier Dashkevich were sentenced to forced labour and imprisonment. Four leaders of “Partnership” organization who were election observers were sentenced to imprisonment terms from 6 months to 2 years.

One of the leader of “Malady Front” organization Paval Seviarynetz the author of two books and laureate of literary prize was sentenced to 2 years of correctional work. His follower the 25 year old student Zmitier Dashkevich for his political activities was sentenced to 1,5 year imprisonment. His friend Artur Finkevich was sentenced to 2 years for political drawings (which are one of the solidarity acts with the political prisoners of Belarus. The same prison sentences were given to 19 year old students Aliaxandr Kozakov and Dmitry Zubro).

Recently for hanging the national flag on the administrative building in Vitebsk park Dzianis Dzianisau was sentenced.

This year the repressions against young activists are at the apogee. The criminal case against the activists of “Malady Front” is being prepared. Its five members whose age is from 16 to 20 Zmitier Fedaruk, Aleh Korban, Anastasia Palazhanka, Barys Harecki Aliaxey Ianusheuski are accused of acting in the name of the unregistered organization. The organization they are presenting was founded in 1997 in order to help in educating the young people in the spirit of Christian and national traditions. They were trying to register the organization for four times and every time they were given a refusal.

Today they are charged with the accusations on article 193 (1) which doesn’t comply with the norms of the international law and is unconstitutional. The young people are accused of organizing meetings, pickets, paper and informational material publishing, holding of social studies, organization of elections observing.

The authorities dare to prosecute even underage people. This is rather odd that the state is afraid of such a young people. It’s obvious that their courage is the problem for Belarusian Special Forces. When these young people walk in the center of Minsk with the candles in their hands the authorities call for help the unit of Special Forces.

We care a lot about the future of the members of “Malady Front” Zmitier Fedaruk, Aleh Korban, Anastasia Palazhanka, Barys Harecki, Aliaxey Ianusheuski.

We want to attract attention of the international community to the facts of repressions in Belarus. We are looking forward for the help of the leaders of European Union in order to stop the political repressions and give freedom to all the political prisoners in Belarus.

Freedom to “Malady Front”!

Freedom to political prisoners!