Yury Rubtsou: We need to declare boycott and set our conditions to authorities

An opposition activist of Homel can become a new political prisoner.

Yury Rubtsou, who appeared at the Charnobyl Way rally in the T-shirt “Lukashenka go away” will be tried on September 16. Charter97.org asked the activist if he believes in a positive outcome and if he get enough public support.

– You will be tried again. Being an activist persecuted for your active citizenship, you know well our judicial system. Do you believe in Belarusian justice and the independence of courts from the dictatorship that controls them?

– I'd like to tell all readers of the website that the judicial system does not actually exist in Belarus. The executive and judicial branches are interrelated based on corruption. We know that all employees of courts have employment agreements, the same that other people in the country have. It means that any judge can be fired if he or she delivers a verdict that doesn't suit the authorities. They have to do what the authorities need. It violates the Constitution of Belarus that says the judicial system should be independent.

There's another matter. Why do judges continue doing so if they know they will be brought to account later? They hope it won't hit them. No one turns attention to the fact that modern equipment allows recording any word in a courtroom. However, secretaries still sit in courtrooms and take court minutes or pretend they do it. After the trial, secretaries and judges decode what they wrote down. Both judges and secretaries write only what they need to explain the court decision they made or were ordered to make. They falsify court minutes.

– The authorities should be changed and judges should be punished before we can change the judicial system. When will the time come when they will be taken to account for falsifying cases?

– I cannot say when it will happen. I don't seen a real struggle to change the authorities. Some of our opposition politicians are going to run in the election. In the election that we don't have. This is absurd. The people calling to vote in the election can be divided into two parts: some hope they will encourage people to come for a rally, while others do what the regime needs. It is not profitable for the regime to advertise itself and call on people to vote for it again. This is neither ethical nor profitable. It is easier to show people that the opposition allegedly participates in the election. They will say to people “Come and vote for the opposition”, but the opposition is only used as a shill.

– What do you propose for the “election” in 2015? What can increase chances of changing the authorities?

– We need to declare a boycott and set our conditions: to release all political prisoners, amend the electoral code so that it can guarantee the open vote counting process, cancel the system of employment agreements that is used as a tool to press on employees, in particular, on members of electoral commissions, give air time to the opposition. All political forces of the country should demand it.

We should laugh at our judicial system and we should sue it. But we should not take part in the “election” as a shill. We should not do it ever. Our political forces do not want to understand it. They are afraid of missing a chance to advertise themselves. This is the worst thing.

– You can face from 6 months in custody to 3 years of community service for the T-shirt “Lukashenka go away”. What do you expect from the trial on September 16?

– What can I expect? I am confident that the decision was already taken. I don't know what decision. I don't want guess and suppose. Why strain my nerves? The decision will be announced at the end of the show called “the trial” regardless of testimony. There's no sense in discussing it. I am not upset. I am ready to face the worst.

– Do you have enough support from pubic and human rights organisations?

– Viasna human rights centre helps me a lot. I have nothing to complain about. Sudalenka helps me. I am waiting for the witnesses who were not allowed to attend the previous trial. It is normal. People help me with all their heart.