Let’s defend Artur Finkevich!

The trial over Artur Finkevich lasted unusually long and was very slow. Despite of a bad physical and psychological condition, when an ambulance had been called in to him, and injections made, judge Natallya Krashkina decided not to postpone the sitting of the court, though Artur asked about that 2 times, but she questioned the Young Front member with greater cruelty.

This court of trial could evoke laughter and at the same time great sorrow in every person: a pale, sick Atrur Finkevich, who has spent 2 years in a corrective labour facility for political graffiti, and who was in no doubt that he would be sentenced to a new term (a he said in a low voice to one of the Young Front members sitting beside), the judge who didn’t want to listen to Artur’s arguments, and interrupted him every time when he gave facts of pressure and threats to him; a lawyer sitting near the young man and making almost no attempts to defend him; false witnesses whose testimony was obscure and contradictory, and nobody turned attention to that; except Artur, who in fact defended himself; moans and weeping of girls when the sentence was pronounced: a year, 6 months and 15 days. People outside were shouting: “Artur, we are with you!”, “Long live Belarus!” and “Disgrace!” during the trial, and it was heard inside. In this way activists who hadn’t been allowed to attend the trial expressed support to their friend. They put on T-shirts “Freedom to Finkevich”, unfurled Young Front flags, and despite of the frost and threats of riot policemen didn’t want to disband for the whole day.

Artur was courageous and strong despite of pain and distress. He nodded from time to time, smiled to his friends and showed a sign of Victory. It is not generally known that before the trial officers of the State Security Committee came to Artur’s place of work every day. They interrogated him, pressed to cooperate with them, bullied and threatened him bodily harm. When Artur refused to sign a paper about collaboration again, he was taken to a remand prison. It is very painful and incomprehensible that some people gave in to the KGB provocations and believed in false charges against Artur, who has always been courageous, sensible, fair and just member of the Young Front. He has been awarded with Human Rights Award of the Charter’97, and even while being in the corrective labour colony, he organized culture events, lections on human rights for prisoners, worked in a kindergarten enthusiastically, and even earned an honorific mention for his work. Artur’s case is in every respect politically motivated, framed-up, though some people want to present it as a domestic crime, saying that a person shouldn’t drink in the corrective labour facility, and that “Artur had admitted partial guilt himself”.

At the moment documents for an appeal; the lawyer who in fact had forced Artur to admit guilt in hope that the Young Front member would be sentenced to half a year term for that, which was futile, has been changed. Numerous protest actions in defense of Artur are getting prepared. But it is not enough. Artur is in a remand prison, pressure is being exerted on him every moment, at it could be compared to tortures. The Young Front activist needs your support and solidarity. The Young Front calls upon all those who care, disagree, and simply upon all honest people to avalanche judge Natallya Krashkina with letters with Young Front members’ photo, so that she wouldn’t forget the face of Artur whom she sent to prison, to write a complaint to the court, to carry out a broad campaign to raise awareness of population. Let’s defend Artur Finkevich! Long live Belarus!