Statkevich recalled that he was asked to write the appeal for pardon as early as 2011, with a hint that he did not necessarily need to plead guilty.

It was said to me openly in Mahiliou in June 2012. As Statkievich did not sign the document, he was threatened that petition on his behalf can be forged. The politician writes: “Employee of the Operations Division told me that they indeed had such a plan.He even boasted that he they would have “made” such an “appeal” which “no expertise would prove to be fake.”

According to Statkevich, the authorities would even be satisfied with his “demand” rather than a petition for release. “The main thing is for this paper to featured the post of the appeal’s addressee – he said in the letter – in fact, for two and a half years they tried to squeez from me recognition of the legitimacy (legitimacy of Lukashenka’s presidency implied ).But I do not trade indulgences. Even if they are offered as payment of my own freedom. They shouldn’t count on it. “

  Fifty-seven-year-old Statkevich is the only presidential candidate who is still in custody.His prison term is supposed to end in December 2016.

A matter of writing a clemency petition became topical after a meeting of Aliaksandr Lukashenka with the heads Belarusian media on 21 January, when the director of BelaPAN Ales Lipai raised the question regarding the possibility of granting amnesty to political prisoners.

“Will the political prisoners be included in the amnesty that will take place in 2014? – asked Lipai. – As I understand, a petition for clemency is not required for them in this case. In particular I talk about Statkevich who was a presidential candidate in the 2010 elections. He got the most severe sentence of all convicted for organizing mass riots – six years, and has already served more than half of the term, but even the people who stormed the government house and smashed glass-doors there already had been released, and Statkevich did not participate in such actions and did not call for a riot. He was apparently one of those people who will not ask for clemency, even under pressure.  It would be in the best traditions of Christianity and the Belarusian people to forgive him for what his critique of the government and participation in the organization of a peaceful protest which turned into a smashing windows and beating people not by his will. Pardoned them, it will help to establish a dialogue with the European Union – a dialogue that is certainly in the interests of the Belarusian people, and therefore must be in the interests of the head of state.”

In response Aliaksandr Lukashenka reminded that more than once he spoke of the country’s existing practice of pardon: convicted person should write a petition for clemency to be considered.“You don’t have to write that you are guilty,” – said the head of state.

When Ales Lipai asked is this means that when Statkevich writes a plea for clemency, but there will not be admission of guilt, then he will be released, Aliaksandr Lukashenka said: “Perhaps we will do it, but the order of execution should be respected

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