In support of Leanid Svetsik
A criminal case against Leanid Svetsik was sent to court. Who and when would be judging a human rights defender from Viciebsk is yet to be decided. However, one of the charges against Svetsik was dropped during an official investigation and it gives hopes that a trial and sentence would be fair. A letter sent to the Supreme Court Chair-Justice of Republic of Belarus Valyantsin Sukala by the president of Belarusian Human Rights House Barys Zvozskau stressed these important points.
Friday, 22 May 2009, by Belarusian Human Rights House in exile in Vilnius
To: Valentin Sukalo
Chairman
Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus
Tel. (375 17) 226 12 06
Tel./fax: (375 17) 227 12 25
E-mail: scjustrb@pmrb.gov.by
Lenina str. 28, Minsk 220030, Belarus
Dear Mr. Chairman,
The Human Rights House in Vilnius and other Human Rights Houses (in Bergen, London, Moscow, Oslo, Warsaw, Zagreb and other cities) have been closely following the situation with the criminal persecution of Leanid Svetsik, a human rights defender from Vitebsk.
We were glad to learn that the Prosecutor’s Office did not upheld the charges under one of the articles of the Belarusian Criminal Code brought by KGB.
This case, instigated by the Belarusian KGB, is obviously persecution of Mr Svetsik for his human rights activities and doesn't have, in our opinion, any moral or legal grounds.
We hope that a public hearing on this case that would comply with all standards and principles of fair trial, such as equality of parties, presumption of innocence, and adversarial principle will prevent the interested parties from turning the trial into an instrument of reprisal.
Sincerely,
Barys Zvozskau
President
Human Rights House in Vilnius
Belarusian Human Rights House in exile in Vilnius