Political Trials Continued in Minsk

These hot April days the whole city of Minsk turned into a courtroom, where the trial is held against political opponents of the existing regime. There hardly has been enough time for the panic in convenience stores to settle down, or for the echo of the horrible terrorist act in the Minsk metro to pass. A common man cannot possibly understand from the state mass media what kind of “terrorists” and “hooligans” are on trial and how investigation of such a complex case could have been carried out in such short time. As it turns out, the official mass media label as “the terrorists” the participants of the protest action against rigged elections that took place on December 19, 2010.

On the 25^th anniversary of the Chernobyl tragedy, April 26, “the trial” started for Andrei Sannikau’s campaign manager Zmicer Bandarenka who is accused of “organizing group actions undermining civil order.” Before the elections Bandarenka actively stated, “History is done now!” Chernobyl became one of the blackest pages in our history, unfortunately, the same words can be used to describe unprecedented trials of the Square activists and presidential candidates. Just like a quarter of century earlier, when the Soviet authorities tried to cover up the “explosion” at the reactor or at least to prevent the rumors about real reasons and scale of the catastrophe, the contemporary offspring of the “Soviet rulers” would like to cover up the catastrophe that is taking place in Belarus in the political and economic spheres. And for those who have courage to start the discussion or seek for the real reasons for today’s problems, there is “the judicial system” and “circle of evidence”. Despite the atmosphere of fear that rooted in the society after the latest tragic events and previous detentions at “political” trials, quite a lot of people showed up at the court. Among them civic, political and cultural activists, families of the repressed and those who did not stay indifferent and wanted to see with their own eyes what Belarusian “justice” looks like. Not everyone could get into the courtroom, as it was partially filled in by the members of the Belarusian Republican Youth Union. Nevertheless, people did not leave the court. The prosecutor pleaded for 3 years of hard labor. The judge having spent a day and a morning deciding on the verdict announced a more “humane” term of two years. Neither ungrounded evidence basis, nor the convict’s health problems occurring as the result of the trial were considered.
The trials started at two courts next day. In the court of Partizansky district the trial started for the former presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau, together with Illya Vasilevich, Aleh Hnedchyk, Fiodar Mirzayanau and Uladzimer Yaromenka. In the court of the Kastrychnicki district Pavel Vinahradau, Ales Kirkevich, Zmicer Drozd, Uladzimer Hamichenka and Andrei Pratasenia are put on trial. Other “suspects” are waiting for the trial at the pre-trial detention center no.1 and the KGB pre-trial detention center.

Just like a quarter of century ago Belarus is living through its toughest times, waiting for a day to come to condemn the current system. We would like to believe in Zmicer Bandarenka’s words, who is a devoted Catholic, that change will eventually come and faith and solidarity can move the base of the evil in this country and in these people. That it is US, in fact, who is making history.