Anatol Lyabedzka: “Foreign cameras disappeared, and authorities returned to well-tried methods”
5- 1.10.2008, 10:09
The Ministry of Justice of Belarus demands the opposition parties to give explanations concerning a rally against rigging of the results of the “parliamentary elections” held on September 28 in Minsk. Independent lawyers don’t see a ground for claims of the authorities to the parties.
A statement of the Ministry of Justice says “the event was held in violation of the law on mass events and with gross violations of public order.”
The ministry noted that symbols of political organisations were used during the unauthorised mass street action, in which some leaders of political parties took part. In this regard, the ministry “demanded the appropriate political parties to give explanations on violation of the acting laws”.
“Cameras of foreign information agencies, television disappeared, and the authorities needn’t smile frigidly# anymore,” leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka told in an interview to Deutsche Welle. “They can behave a s usual, that is why the Ministry of Justice returns to its well-tried methods of treating opponents of the Belarusian authorities.”
According to the politician, if any accusations are presented to me, “I will just smile, as the very fact of claims for being on the territory of the constituency at October Square, where an MP candidate runs (I was a candidate until issuing of official vote count data), means that I can’t be present at that place.”
Harry Pahanyaila, head of the legal commission of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, tried to answer why the Ministry of Justice became interested in the opposition again after a long break.
“The rally was peaceful, we have no time to ask the authorities for permission, because it was a reaction to the voting and falsifications seen by party and other observers.”
However, representative of the Ministry of Internal Affaires Aleh Slepchanka has already promised to send all footage of the action of September 28 to the Prosecutor’s General Office.
