Klaskouski: This is a cynic game and a disgraceful end for authorities

“The court proceedings showed that the case is clearly political,” says journalist and politologist Alyaksandr Klaskouski, whose son got a prison term.

The Leninski district court of Minsk sentenced presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich to six years in a medium security penal colony and presidential candidate Dzmitry Uss to 5.5 years in an medium security penal colony. The verdicts were delivered by judge Lyudmila Hrachova on May 26, BelaPAN reminds.

The persons involved in the same criminal case were also given prison terms. Alyaksandr Klaskouski is sentenced to five years in a medium security penal colony, Artsyom Hrybkou – to four years in a medium security penal colony and compulsory treatment of alcohol dependence, Alyaksandr Kvyatkeich – to 3.5 years in a medium security penal colony, Dzmitry Bulanau – to 3 years in a medium security penal colony, Andrei Paznyak – to two years or restriction of liberty without sending to an open type correctional facility.

As human rights activist Alena Tankachova thinks, the fact of mass riot on December 19, 2010, was not proved during trials. “The sentences given under the article ‘mass riot’ do not have legal grounds and must be reviewed. People must be freed,” she is convinced.

A lawyer of Dzmitry Uss, Uladzimir Sazanchuk, says he will appeal against the court decision. He underlined that the verdict was unlawful at least because there were no mass disorders. “The fact that my client ran in the presidential campaign together with Statkevich is not a crime,” Sazanchuk noted.

“The court proceedings showed that the case is clearly political,” journalist and politoligist Alyaksandr Klaskouski, who son got a prison term, thinks. “Lawyers and defendants proved there were no mass disorders. As my son said, it was not a “violent mob”, but the nation, the people protesting against the flawed elections. For their courage to do this they were taken away their personal liberty. You know, they first took the freedom to election and then physical freedom.”

As Klaskouski thinks, justice stays far from this case. “This is a cynic thought-out game,” the journalist says. “First come show trials to make everyone fear and remain silent, then comes trade with the West. The trade is coming soon, because Moscow applies pressure, you see this deathly silence after the talks with Putin. They need to ask the West for money, which is hardly possible after biting this hand so many times. […] This is a logic end for the authorities, who have been deceiving people for 17 years and are now rolling down to their disgraceful end. I think the imprisoned people will be freed before their terms expire.”