Andrei Sannikov: We Require Information About Mikalai Statkevich!

The West should immediately introduce sanctions on the Belarusian regime.

Leader of the European Belarus campaign and ex-candidate for the presidency Andrei Sannikov stated that to Charter97.org.

-It's been three days already when we have no information about the fate of the leader of the Belarusian National Congress Mikalai Statkevich. How could you comment on it?

- It's extremely alarming. Mikalai Statkevich was on his way to the Square where he should have been with people. The Belarusian National Congress has put him in charge of the demonstration on Freedom Day.

Today we know nothing about his location and what happens to him. We require the authorities to immediately provide us with the information about Mikalai Statkevich. To provide information to his relatives, all people of Belarus, to all who can exert pressure on the Belarusian authorities: the European Union, the United States of America, democratic states, the public.

We demand to stop the persecution of people, to provide all information about people whose fate and location are still unknown.

These are crimes committed not for the first time, but they are getting more severe and outrageous. So today, all of us, all our friends, must make everything to stop it. And to help those who are in trouble.

- You talked to the U.S. Senator John McCain. Do you think the regime has already done enough to impose severe sanctions on it?

- Yes. I talk to Senator McCain and to many European politicians, to leaders of our neighbouring states, Poland and Lithuania, to representatives of the American Congress and the State Department.

I told about the necessity to impose sanctions without delay, because, otherwise, that madness would continue. Europe plays too long with the dictator and now it reap rewards of such shortfall policy. The situation in Belarus follows the way of repression intensification. Today it is necessary to realize - hard though it may be - our mistakes and to return to the policy of punishment of the dictator for crimes.