Ales Marachkin: No freedom to political prisoners - no elections

One cannot speak about any "elections" unless all the political prisoners and first of all Mikalai Statkevich are freed.

Ales Marachkin, head of "Pahonia" Creative Association, member of the Organizing Committee on creation of the Belaruski Rukh party explains charter97.org why it is necessary to take the tactics of a boycott in the upcoming elections.

I believe one cannot speak about any "elections" unless all the political prisoners and first of all Mikalai Statkevich are freed. And I support Statkevich's nomination as the candidate for presidency of the democratic powers? However, the government will not release political prisoners; therefore, "elections" are entirely out of the question. I adhere to the strategy of a complete boycott, he said.

- What do you think of political forces who have already started nominating their candidates for the "elections"?

- Unfortunately, all those past mistakes are subject to recurrence: We are not united. We do not learn from our mistakes. We should have formulated a common platform - whether a single candidate or a complete boycott. I am very disappointed with behavior of these parties and groups which have already nominated "candidates". They cannot put forward any common idea. And this time they do not want to learn from their mistakes. And I am not the only one who shares this opinion. This issue - to find a common idea or a single candidate - was raised at the Rada of Intelligence. But those who decided to play "elections" din not listen to us.