Mikhail Marynich: "It`s Persecution For Political Views" :: Charter'97 :: News

Belarusian political prisoner, Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of Belarus, ex-Minister of Foreign Economic Relations Mikhail Marynich has made his final statement in the legal trial. “This trial is a persecution for democratic views, for active work in civil society, for vision of the European way of development for Belarus, for running in presidential elections as a candidate,” told Mikhail Marynich. The political prisoner was reading the final statement for about an hour. After that it was announced that the sentence is to be pronounced at 4 p.m. Minks time.

According to the Charter’97 press center, the main thesis of the final statement by Marynich was that the criminal case had been trumped-up against a public figure who saw our country as a parliamentary republic of a European type, with market economy and developed business. The principle of Stalin had been realized: “Give us a man, and the charge would be found”. The authorities did not want a dialogue, instead of that they ruined the organization “Business Initiative”, and ordered this criminal case.

Mikhail Marynich expressed gratitude to the representatives of the diplomatic corps for support. According to Marynich, the fact that he had preserved the property of a foreign state, should have increased respect to him, and not to be a reason for criminal prosecution. At today’s’ session of the court diplomats were present as well. Among them there was the Ambassador of Italy, which represents the European Union currently.

The firearm which keeping is one of the charges is an absolute provocation. Mikhail Marynich, as said by him, had never had passion for firearms and had always gave away opportunites to buy and possess it.

“Shame on the professionals who cannot resist the pressure of the regime. They should give thought to it now, in this time of changes,” told Marynich.

The trial of Mikhail Marynich started last week after a seven-months long investigation and imprisonment of Mikhail Marynich. During the process, according to attorneys, family members of the accused, journalists and observers, complete innocence of person on trial, and absurdity of the charges against him have become apparent. The attorneys of Marynich told about it. The demand of the prosecutor Alexandr Nikulin to sentence Mikhail Marynich to 6 years of imprisonment and to prohibit him to occupy executive positions for 5 years, and besides to give to the revenue of the state confiscated money and computers, given by the US Embassy to the organization “Business Initiative” headed by Marynich, was called “absolutely groundless” by the attorneys.

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