One of the loudest criminal cases of the expiring year has already been called the “Christmas process”. A week before the New Year, the trial of Mikhail Marynich started. The criminal trial of the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Belarus, former Minister of Foreign Economic Relations, former chairman of Minsk executive committee, MP of the 12th Supreme Soviet, started on December 23 in the court of Minsk district, the “Belorusskaya Gazeta” reminds.
Domestic administration of justice with a sure step is approaching the New Year holidays. Not a single week of December has passed without loud detentions, arrests and bringing up a criminal action.
The trial of Mikhail Marynich had been expected by everybody for a long time.Even in advance it resembled strongly politicized processes of former prime minister Mikhail Chyhir, ex-Minister of Agriculture Vasil Lyavonau and the chairman of the closed joint-stock society “Rassvet” Vasily Staravojtau.
…About half an hour before the process started, a large group of young people with ”Zubr” badges, in pullovers with a portrait of the political prisoner and the words “Belarus will be free!”, “Free Marynich!” gathered in front of the entrance to the court. I came to a 20-year old guy and asked apathetically: “What is going on here?” “Marynich is to stand trial!” – “And who is it?” “A future president!” the young guy told categorically. When the idol of the new generation was taken to the entrance of the court, people started chanting: “We are with you!”, “Long live Belarus!”
On the day of the trial beginning it was stated that Ambassadors of the countries of the European Union and US are going to follow the legal proceedings closely. This information has been publicized by the Italian Embassy, which represents in Belarus the Netherlands presiding in the EU. Dozens of representatives of the political elite of Europe and US, well-known political figures, groups of MPs of the European Parliament, of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Ukraine. The US has called on Belarusian authorities to release one of the leaders of Belarusian opposition. “We call on the Belarusian government to respect human and legal rights and promptly release Ambassador Marynich and other political figures who have been detained, charged and convicted on spurious charges,” the US State Department read.
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