AI Considers Axana Novikava Prisoner Of Conscience :: Charter'97 :: News

Human rights organization Amnesty International considers opposition activist Axana Novikava to be a prisoner of conscience. . She was sentenced to two and a half years at a corrective labour facility for libeling president. “The conviction of Axana Novikava for distributing leaflets critical of president Lukashenka is a further proof of Belarus`s total disregard for international human rights standards and legitimate exercise of the right to freedom of expression”, Amnesty International told.

“Axana Novikava was convicted under Article 367(2) of the Criminal Code of Belarus (Libel Against the President of Belarus). This article has been used in the past to suppress legitimate criticism of the government and in June 2002 Mikola Markevich and Paval Mazhejka the editor and staff writer of Pahonya newspaper were also convicted under the same article for raising concerns about President Lukashenka’s involvement in "disappearances".

Belarus has come under consistent criticism from inter-governmental organizations for its blatant violation of international standards. In May this year the Council of Europe rejected an application from Belarus to renew its special status with the organization, which had been suspended when President Lukashenka dissolved the parliament in 1997. In its Resolution on Freedom of the Press the Council of Europe also condemned the use of Article 367 to subject journalists to imprisonment and forced labor for criticism of the President and state officials,” the AI press release informs.