We should look narrowly at OSCE experts invited to Belarus

Such an opinion has been expressed by the leader of “European Belarus” civil campaign Andrei Sannikov.

“Such an initiative of the Foreign Affairs Ministry could be welcomed, if it is earnest,” Sannikov said to BelaPAN. “However we would have to look narrowly what kind of experts they would be. We have bitter experience of opinions of “experts” invited to Belarus by the state.”

Sannikov reminded that in May 2009 the OSCE office in Minsk received a request from the Foreign Ministry of Belarus asking for assistance to the government in search of independent international law expert, a specialist in criminal and criminal procedure legislation of Eastern European region, with the aim to study the case of Vaukavysk businessmen.

“The OSCE office offered Martin Finke as a candidature. The expert visited Belarus on June 8-10 and stated that the case against them was investigated without violations of law, and concerns of human rights activists about its political motives are groundless. However, finally the court found Autukhovich, Asipenka and Lyavonau not guilty of the alleged crimes, the terrorist attack, thus the “expert opinion” by Finke was crossed. We do not need any more “experts” like this,” Sannikov said.

However, as said by him, the statement of the Foreign Affairs Ministry allows friends and colleagues of Byabenin show initiative and address the OSCE, for really independent experts to be sent to Belarus, who would be able to conduct an unbiased investigation of the journalist’s death.

“We demanded that, and I will immediately start phone calls to my friends who could recommend such people,” Sannikov said.