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Zmitser Dashkevich: Boycott of “elections” would be a strong blow to Lukashenka

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Zmitser Dashkevich: Boycott of “elections” would be a strong blow to Lukashenka
Zmitser Dashkevich
Photo: belapan.by

The dictator can agree to release political prisoners only in he feels pressure on him inside the country.

Co-head of Young Front and former political prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich said it in an interview with charter97.org.

– Minister Uladzimir Makei said to journalists at the Eastern Partnership summit in Riga that there were no political prisoners in Belarus. They are ordinary “criminals” convicted on the ground of the Criminal Code...

– There's nothing new under the moon. Millions of people died in camps during Stalin's rule. They weren't called political prisoners, they were ordinary “criminals”. The very term “political prisoners” does not have legal grounds in the Belarusian legislation. Our task is to inform the international and Belarusian community that one or another person is in jail for his or her beliefs. Every decent person or politician should do something to release political prisoners.

– What methods can be applied to make the Belarusian authorities release the political prisoners?

– The most effective method is sanctions. But indecisive European leaders are not ready to it. They were even ready to “swallow” Crimea to “please” Putin. So, it is wrong to think that Europe can sacrifice its economic interests for the sake of political prisoners. I support the idea that we must count only on our own forces. The stronger the civil society and opposition are, the higher the chance that Lukashenka will free political prisoners. If 30,000-40,000 people instead of 2,000-3,000 attended permitted rallies, such as Freedom Day, the dictator would behave in another way, also in what concerns the problem of political prisoners. Anyone can be jailed on trumped-up accusations. Let's look at Mikalai Dziadok. He was sentenced to an additional year in prison only a few days before his release. And they “swallowed” it. Makei was invited to the Riga summit. Europe already flirted with Hitler in a similar way, and we remember how it ended.

– Can a boycott of the so called presidential elections influence the government's position on political prisoners?

– We see even today that the refusal to run in the “elections” is not supported by all. Some are happy to participate. For example, Kaliakin announced lately he would defend “Lenin's ideals”. The absence of a common position allows the dictator to do whatever he wants. If the opposition consolidated and boycotted the elections, it would be a strong blow to Lukashenka. Lukashenka got used to manoeuvre when he feels force. But he reacts only to real pressure. As soon as he feels pressure, for example, from the East, he begins to turn to the West... We need to organise and put pressure on the dictator. It will, perhaps, make him release the political prisoners.

– Can you say that the “politicians” who are going to run in the elections in fact betrayed their imprisoned colleagues?

– Each of the so called candidates plays into the hands of Lukashenka. We already hear their statements that they will not call on people to take to streets. It is humiliating for an opposition politician who admits the absence of honest elections in Belarus to say that he won't protest against falsifications. Yarmoshyna can give him 2% of votes and he will be happy. I have only one word, a rather rude one, to describe it – prostitution. This is unhidden moral prostitution that is worse than physical one. I don't want to have anything in common with such people.

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