EU Deeply Upset by Sentences upon Statkevich and Uss

27.05.2011 09:50
Архив Редакция

Evening, May 26, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Catherine Ashton, expressed her deep regret over sentences upon former presidential candidate Nikolai Statkevich and Dmitri Uss. Catherine Ashton reiterated her call for an end to repression against political opposition, civil society and independent media, said in a statement issued in Brussels.

According to the EU representative, the sentences upon Nikolai Statkevich and Dmitri Uss are «politically motivated» and represent «another step backwards in terms of respect for human rights in Belarus, the rule of law and democratic principles.»

Catherine Ashton also considers it unacceptable «to keep political prisoners in the heart of Europe in XXI century» and calls for their immediate release and rehabilitation.

Buzek Called for Immediate and Unconditional Release of all Prisoners

In turn, chairman of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek urged the Belarusian authorities to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners and withdraw all charges from them. According to him, the charges are «illegal and unacceptable.»

As Telegraf previously reported, Thursday, May 26, the Leninski district court of Minsk convicted six persons, involved in «the case on December 19.» The judge considered the defendants’ guilt proved and sentenced former presidential candidate Nikolai Statkevich to six years in reinforced regime colony for organizing mass unrest on December 19, 2010. Ex-presidential candidate Dmitri Uss was jailed to five and a half years for committing a similar crime.

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