International League for Human Rights – letter to Lukashenko 11:01, 01/06/2005
President Lukashenko, the International League for Human Rights, an international non-governmental organization with special consultative status at United Nations Economic and Social Council, expresses profound concern about the latest attack on the pro-democracy movement in Belarus after the trial and sentencing of two opposition leaders in Minsk.
On May 31, Minsk’s Central District Court found Mikola Statkevich, Chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party and Pavel Severinets, leader of the Young Front, the youth wing of the Belarusian Popular Front, guilty of organizing unauthorized protest rallies against the results of the October 2004 parliamentary election and presidential term limit referendum, which was widely recognized by international and domestic observers as fraudulent.
Statkevich and Severinets were sentenced to three-year corrective labor terms, however the sentences were reduced to two years due to the ongoing amnesty in honor of the 60th anniversary of the World War II victory. The two political activists have the right to file an appeal within 10 days.
On May 24, Mikola Statkevich was found to be in contempt of court for refusing to rise during the trial and declaring that the court is not truly independent and thus incapable of delivering a fair verdict. He is currently serving 10 days in detention.
The League expresses alarm over the repression of freedom of assembly and expression in Belarus. We call on your government to cease its assault on and continued persecution of political opposition and civil society immediately. Belarusian citizens must be granted the right to live freely without fear of threats or reprisals from government officials or agencies.
President Lukashenko, the League calls on you and your officials to respect the Belarusian citizens’ fundamental human rights, and to cease your assault on the pro-democracy movement in Belarus.
Thank you for your attention. We welcome your response.
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