29 March 2024, Friday, 15:00
Support
the website
Sim Sim,
Charter 97!
Categories

Mikalai Statkevich: Sanctions Should Not Be Lifted, But New One Imposed

42
Mikalai Statkevich: Sanctions Should Not Be Lifted, But New One Imposed
MIKALAI STATKEVICH
PHOTO: SVABODA.ORG

The former political prisoner told us, against whom the Western sanctions should be reimposed in the first place.

On October 31 last year, the sanctions against the Belarusian authorities were frozen for 4 months. The question of sanctions is to be re-considered by the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union on February 15. The EU can reimpose the sanctions, continue the moratorium or abolish all the restrictions.

Presidential candidate in the elections-2010, a former political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich believes that at least part of sanctions against the Belarusian authorities should be reimposed, Radio Svaboda reports.

Firstly, according to the politician, the sanctions should be reimposed in respect of those who have been involved in election fraud.

“There is an official report of the ODIHR following the results of the “presidential elections“. The idea which is expressed in quite valid expressions in this report, can be encapsulated in the phrase: there are no elections in Belarus. It's the official conclusion. Thus, a crime was committed against the Belarusian people. So, sure enough, to lift or suspend the sanctions against people who have committed a crime means to encourage them to commit crimes in the future. In my opinion, sanctions should be returned against those who have been involved in the elections,” – he says.

Secondly, from Statkevich’s point of view, sanctions should be reimposed against those who have tortured political prisoners.

“Now tortures have started again. People who work in prisons perceive the suspension of sanctions against them as a license for torture, as a sanction for torture. I think that sanctions should be restored against those who are guilty of torture,” – the former political prisoner said.

Thirdly, sanctions should be reimposed in respect of those law enforcement officers who have flagrantly violated the law by beatings, illegal arrests, and so on.

“The sanctions have been suspended, and look what is going on: they have already started beating up people, including journalists, in the court. Thus, the sanctions against Lukashenka’s security forces should be reimposed, and perhaps new ones should be introduced," – Statkevich said.

Write your comment 42

Follow Charter97.org social media accounts