Court On Zavadsky’s Case Must Be Open :: Charter'97 :: News

A well-known lawyer and human rights defender, the head of the Legal Assistance Center of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, Mikhail Pastukhov is convinced that the court on Zavadsky case should be open to public. Professor Pastukhov said to BelaPAN agency that the authorities deliberately made the court closed, in order to hide from the view of the citizens the details of this case. The Belarusian Association of Journalists nevertheless is going to address the Minsk regional court with the appeal that its representatives of the organization which member Zavadsky is, could attend the proceedings.

“I do not believe that the authorities would agree to our request, -- Pastukhov said. – I think that they use such techniques intentionally, to conceal the circumstances of this case, that have many blank gaps. But the authorities have to report about accomplishment of the case somehow, to demonstrate that investigation is made. That is why the court is staged. But the question – where is Zavadsky? – remains unclear. Until it is unanswered, the investigation cannot be considered finished”.

The court sitting is to start on October 24. Alexander Simonov, judge of the Minsk regional court is appointed its chairman.