Social democrats demand to stop pressure on Mikalai Statkevich
- 22.04.2015, 11:05
Social democrats call on all left-wing and democratic parties and groups of Belarus to stand up to defend Mikalai Statkevich.
“Alarming news came from correctional facility No.17 in Shklou that the prison authorities have increased pressure on political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich. They intend to transfer him from the correctional facility to a prison through a court,” the statement of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) says.
The party thinks the measures are aimed at making Statkevich apply for a pardon and thus admit his guilt.
“The Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) expresses solidarity with political prisoner Mikalai Statkevich and demands to stop administrative pressure on him. The Party demands to drop the idea of changing confinement conditions for inmate Mikalai Statkevich. Belarusian social democrats urge the administration of correctional facility No.17 and the corrections department to cancel disciplinary sanctions that were lately imposed on Mikalai Statkevich and annul violation reports,” the statement says.
The social democrats also urge to allow access to human rights defenders, representatives of intergovernmental agencies, in particular, the UN office in Belarus, and diplomatic missions of the EU, to Statkevich.
The Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) appeals to the Socialist International, the Party of European Socialists, the Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament and personally EP President Martin Schulz, calling on them to “demonstrate the solidarity of the world's and European social democracy with Mikalai Statkevich”.
Mikalai Statkevich, 58, is the only candidate in the 2010 presidential elections in Belarus who is still behind bars. In May 2011, he was sentenced to 6 years for organising mass disorders on the election day. International human rights organisations recognised Mikalai Statkevich a political prisoner.
Statkevich waits for a new trial that may tighten confinement conditions for him.