Belarus: Unjustified and politically motivated sentences for participants of Entrepreneurs’ Rally in Minsk strongly condemned. J

The Chairman of the European Parliament's Delegation for relations with Belarus, Polish EPP-ED Member Jacek Protasiewsiewicz, today strongly condemned the unjustified and politically motivated sentences for nine participants of the Entrepreneurs’ Rally, which was held on 10 January 2007 in Minsk.

"I am deeply concerned about these questionable decisions of the Belarusian authorities", said Jacek Protasiewicz. "Siarghei Parsiukevich and Andrey Kim have been sentenced to 1,5 to 2,5 years of imprisonment in a minimum security correctional institution, Mikhail Pashkevich, Alyaksey Bondar, Artsyom Dubski, Ales Straltsow, Ales Charnyshow, Mikhail Kryvaw and Tatsyana Tsishkevich have been sentenced to 2 years of 'corrective labour at the place of residence'. This means that 20 percent of their salaries will be deducted by the state."

Protasiewicz urgently called upon the government of Belarus for immediate release of all political prisoners including these Belarusian citizens who were peacefully expressing their commitment to the values of democracy.

"This unacceptable violation of the fundamental values such as freedom of expression and freedom of assembly contradicts the possibility for Belarus of full partnership offered by the European Union in the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy. Only convincing steps towards democracy could renew this relationship", concluded Jacek Protasiewicz MEP.