Last European dictator against the European March

2.10.2007, 19:44

The European March organizing committee member Zmiter Barodka, democratic activist Leanid Navitski and human rights activist Sviatlana Harahavik were sentenced to 15 days of arrest by Central District Court of Minsk. The activists were arrested on absolutely false charges. The sentence was given by Judge Tatiana Pauliuchuk.

Leanid Navitski, Zmiter Barodka and Sviatlana Harahavik were detained 1 October at 5.30 p.m. near the Minsk Tractor Plant. Their 2 cars were stopped by GAI staff. The militiamen sat in their cars and drove them to Central Internal Affairs Department of Minsk. Today morning the detained could become acquainted with the reports. There was said that the activist supposedly were detained by military forces staff (former OMON) in Zaslauskaya Street. The oppositionists were supposedly spreading the news-papers and answered with foul language to the remarks of the OMON staff. But at the same time the activist were in absolutely different place – near the Minsk Tractor Plant, where they were detained!

The authorities are providing their usual policy, arresting the potentially active citizens on the eve of mass actions, groundless accusing them of “disorderly conduct”. They did the same in 2006 before the president elections and this year before Freedom Day. When do the OMON staffs stop their cynic lies? Siarhei Nemahai, OMON platoon commander and Aliaksandr Kruhlikau, OMON soldier bore the false evidences in the court.

“They will be punished”, - said Zmiter Barodka in the court.

It should be remarked that Leanid Navitski was released after 10 days of arrest in the remand jail in Akrestin Street 1 October. He was arrested for keeping of 100 EU flags, but was accused under the article “disorderly conduct”. Thus the oppositionist has to spend 25 days in succession behind the bars!

As it known, the democratic forces of Belarus suggested the authorities to have together the European March which is to be held 14 October in Minsk. The aim of the action is to demonstrate the European choice of Belarusians and call the authorities to accept 12 proposals of the EU on democratisation of the country.

The EU welcomed the initiative of holding the European March. "I welcome the initiative taken by Belarusian civil society to organize a European March in Minsk on 14 October in order to express the support of the Belarusian people for closer relations between Belarus and the EU. It is good to see that Belarusian civil society has taken up the EU's offer to Belarus to enter a full partnership, provided that Belarus would take convincing steps towards democratization”, - Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner declared.

The EU Commissioner expressed her concern about the arrests of the Belarusian oppositionists on the European March’s eve. “In this context, I am concerned by reports that a number of organizers of this peaceful march have been arrested. I would expect the Belarusian authorities to act in accordance with their recently reconfirmed position of getting closer to the EU. These actions are in contrast to this position.”, - Benita Ferrero-Waldner said.

The actions of the Belarusian authorities seem in fact to be deprived of logic. On the one hand Aliaksandr Lukashenka and high-level officials declare their readiness to cooperate with the EU. From the other hand they continue the repressions against European-minded Belarusian citizens.

Lukashenka’s actions don’t reflect his words. The peaceful European March would become the best evidence of the sincere intentions of the authorities to make advance to Europe. Arrests and detainments of the democratic activists estrange Belarus from the European perspective. The last European dictator is evidently going to fight against the European March.