France’s ambassador: Sentence to Artsyom Dubski came as an upsetting surprise for us
2- 9.07.2009, 12:52
French diplomat Mireille Musso says the Criminal Code of Belarus is “stiff and conservative”.
The Criminal Code of Belarus fails to meet all European standards, France’s ambassador to Belarus Mireille Musso told, Interfax report.
“Belarus needs much to do to develop the fundamental rights and freedoms. Demonstration of aspiration to observe the fundamental freedoms is important not only for the European Union but also for the European public opinion. We think that the Criminal Code of Belarus, which seems to be stiff and conservative to us, should be changed,” the diplomat said at a press conference on Thursday in Minsk.
Mireille Musso also noticed some progress in this direction, in particular the plans of improving the electoral legislation of Belarus and some improvements in trade unions activity.
“We hope Belarus will join the European family. We have great plans towards Belarus,” the ambassador told.
To a question of Radio Svaboda about the verdict to prisoner of conscience Artsyom Dubski, a participant of the Process of 14, Mireille Musso said:
“This has happened only a short time ago. I am not ready to give a full estimation of this event. But it came as an upsetting surprise for us. This is contrary to the steps that Belarus has already done, the words that it has already told, and possible new steps that Belarus has promised. It was done in accordance with the acting Criminal Code. So I think it’s necessary to think over re-organizing and upgrading the code.”
The French ambassador also told about the case of Mikalai Autukhovich, who is on hunger strike for the 85th day in the pre-trial detention facility #1 of the main militia department of the Minsk city executive committee:
“We know about this case and keep an eye on it. It was done when the Czech Republic took the EU presidency and in the frames of the Swedish presidency. We hope the way out of this situation will be found.”
Mireille Musso said suspension of the sanctions on Belarusian high ranking officials in October 2008 was a “logic approach to improving relations” between Belarus and the European Union. This allowed Belarus to take part in the Eastern Partnership programme. However, she reminded that the decision on sanction suspension was not final and this issue would be considered in autumn.
