Slovakian Foreign Ministry Demands to Stop Political Persecution in Belarus :: Charter'97 :: News

The Foreign Ministry of Slovakia issued a statement condemning the verdict passed on August 4, 2006 in Partnerstva trial. The court of Tsentralny district of Minsk passed a verdict to the four Partnerstva activists. Mikalay Astrejka was sentenced to 2 years in a minimum-security correctional labour facility, Tsimafei Dranchuk to one year of minimum-security correctional labour facility, Alyaksandr Shalajka and Enira Branitskaya to 6 months of imprisonment. The Foreign Ministry of Slovakia expressed deep concern over another case of political persecution after an extremely harsh verdict of five and a half years of imprisonment for a former candidate for presidency, Professor Kazulin.

“The Foreign Ministry of Slovakia demands to review the verdict and release all political prisoners,” the UCP press service quotes the statement. It is also stated that Belarus, basing on its membership in international organizations, has undertaken to respect international standards in the sphere of civil freedoms.

The Foreign Ministry of Slovakia calls upon the Belarusian side to amend its criminal law, excluding all possibilities for political prosecution in Belarus.