Committee “Release” addresses to leaders of Russia, EU, and US
63- 30.12.2010, 20:17
Relatives of people arrested for the December 19 demonstration in Minsk founded a public committee “Release”.
They addressed the leadership of Russia, the European Union, and the United States for their assistance in releasing the political prisoners.
The committee “Release” was initiated by Volha Bandarenka, wife of prisoner Zmitser Bandarenka, Radio Svaboda reports. The objective of the committee is to facilitate soonest release of all inmates of the KGB jail, all suspected of involvement in the riots in Minsk. Volha says:
“We think we, the relatives of the twenty arrested people, should hold together. We think the storm of the building was a clear provocation. All charges are absurd. That’s why we are going to struggle for the release of our dearest and nearest.”
The committee “Release” unites spices, parents, and children of the arrested presidential candidates and their associates. They’ve already sent a letter to the leadership of Russia, the European Union, and the United States calling them to do their best to release the new Belarusian political prisoners. Mrs Alla, Andrei Sannikov’s mother, tells:
“I have no word to express my indignation: if a person runs for presidency, if he feels he can further changes, make the country flourish, why must be imprisoned for that? For what? It was a peaceful demonstration. Organizing this provocation and then beating demonstrates means breaking down. What is the most important for our family now is that dad and mom if a little kid are in prison now. How one can do it? This is so cruel! Release mother at lease. If the authorities wish good to the people of the country, they must behave in a decent manner.”
From left to right: Milana, Ales Mikhalevich’s wife; Volha, Zmitser Bandarenka’s wife; Yulia, Zmitser Bandarenka’s daughter; Darya, Alyaksandr Atroshchankau’s wife; Alla, Andrei Sannikov’s mother; Uladzimir, Iryna Khalip’s father.
The public committee plans to address to the Pope and also prepare an appeal to the International Committee of the Red Cross in order this organization to help with medical assistance to the political prisoners. The relatives say they know from the lawyer that many of the prisoners need medical aid. Volha, Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu’s wife tells:
“What is the most awful is that peaceful demonstrators were beaten and thrown in the KGB jail. Imagine that the beaten people were placed in inhuman conditions. My husband had a hypertensive crisis yesterday. He told his lawyer they were trying to lead him to death.”
The founders of the committee “Release” call on public to stand against violence, which all imprisoned protestors have faced. Uladzimir Khalip, father of prisoner Iryna Khalip says:
“It was done with our hands: our silence and our indifference. They burst into our house today, but tomorrow, they will burst into your house. It was not elections on December 19. What we saw on December 19 was an overthrow. The legal system collapsed. None of the candidates won the elections, but the special task forces. You should understand that it is not a problem of our families, but it’s a problem of the whole country. If we do nothing, if we watch the events and keep silence, we’ll face the darkness that was impossible even in the 1930s.”
Representatives of NGOs, political and human rights organizations express their support to the committee “Release”.
Milana Mikhalevich (on the right) and Volha Nyaklyaeva (on the left)
Anastasia, wife of Vital Rymasheuski, and their daughter (on the left) and MIlana, wife of Alyaksei Mikhalevich, and their daughter (on the right)
