Sons of Mihail Marinich met with Secretary General of PACE :: Charter'97 :: News

Leaders of civil initiative “Freedom to political prisoners!” members of Council of civil initiative “Free Belarus!” Ihar Marinich and Pavel Marinich met on the 16th of February is Strasbourg with Secretary General of PACE Bruno Haller. Sons of well-known politician Mihail Marinich who had been sentenced to 5 years of prison informed Secretary General of PACE about circumstances of criminal pressure on their father and on other political prisoners. They also told about problems of Belarusian civil society and about activity of Council of civil initiatives “Free Belarus”. As Ihar Marinich told to Charter’97 press-center Secretary General of PACE expressed concern with situation with democracy in Belarus. He also said that situation in Belarus will be discussed in separate hearings of PACE. At the end Secretary General of PACE Bruno asked to pass his words to Mihail Marinich and other Belarusian political prisoners and said that still there is place for Belarusian flag near building of Council of Europe. But democratic reforms are necessary in Belarus to join council of Europe.

Leaders of civil initiative “Freedom to political prisoners!” also met with representatives of Legal affairs and Human rights committee of PACE David Milner and member of sub-committee on Belarus Sonia Sirtori-Milner. They informed the Marinichs that circumstances of criminal pressure on their father and on other political prisoners Will be included to report about the Human rights.

Sons of Mihail Marinich also took part in briefing with representatives of embassies of European countries in Council of Europe, met with head of political department of Council of Europe Klaus Schumann, member of this department Ivan Koedjikov, head of office of Secretary General of PACE Petr Sich.

Earlier sons of Mihail Marinich visited Brussels on invitation of Members of European Parliament. During the visit Ihar Marinich and Pavel Marinich met with deputy head of the delegation for Belarus Aldis Kuskis, member of EU delegation on Belarus, with vice Chairman of Committee of foreign affairs Hendrik Ilves, representatives of Human Rights Unit Geoff Harris and Ursula Bausch, representative of Council of the EU Pirkka Tapiola.

Ihar Marinich and Pavel Marinich with head of political department of Council of Europe Klaus Schumann and member of this department Ivan Koedjikov

Pavel Marinich with deputy head of the delegation for Belarus Aldis Kuskis

Ihar Marinich with vice-president of socialist group in European Parliament Jan Marinus Wiersma.

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