Kidnappers must go to The Hague

Officers of the Belarusian secret services should realize that they commit crimes against humanity that doesn’t have a statue of limitations.

On December 7, an extended session of democratic activists was held. The session took a decision to launch an information campaign focusing on kidnappings in Belarus.

The participants of the session were coordinator of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Zmitser Bandarenka, leaders of the “For Freedom” movement Viktar Karnyaenka and Yury Hubarevich, leader of “Young Front” Zmitser Dashkevich, executive secretary of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party Dzyanis Sadouski, one of the leaders of the movement “Young Belarus” Artur Finkevich, leader of the Belarusian Popular Front Alyaksei Yanukevich, head of the organizing committee on the solidarity movement “Razam” Vyachaslau Siuchyk.

The session focused on the situation with the recent abductions of leaders of the youth democratic movements. Zmitser Dashkevich, coordinator of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Yauhen Afnahel, activist of “European Belarus” Uladzimir Lemesh, leader of “Young Belarus” Artur Finkevich were kidnapped last week. The same happened to “Young Front” activists Nasta Palazhanka and Dzyanis Karnou. Unknown people took the oppositionists out of Minsk and left in uninhabited areas.

According to Bandarenka, this can be regarded as tortures and threats of murder. “In fact this is a mock execution. It’s not funny. We must react to such things and the reaction must be much more serious than just statements,” Bandarenka said.

The coordinator of “European Belarus” offered the leaders of parties and movements to inform their European partners about these facts in order the latter at the EU level demand the Belarusian authorities to stop such a practice. “Milinkevich should use his contacts, the BPF party, “Young Front”, “European Belarus” – all should use their contacts. We must start to press on the authorities, because this can’t continue for long,” Bandarenka said.

Besides, he suggested addressing the International Monetary Fund and World Bank with demands to block any financial aid to Belarus unless opposition representatives have guarantees kidnappings of activists will be stopped. “These institutions should know how the money the give Belarus are spent. This money is spent to support the secret services who abduct people,” Bandarenka noted.

The politician called of the session participants to hold a street action of solidarity on December 16 with slogans “Stop Terror!” and “Kidnappers Must Go to The Hague!” Officers of the Belarusian secret services should realize that they commit crimes against humanity that doesn’t have a statue of limitations, “Bandarenka stated.

These proposals found support of the session participants.