Andrei Sharenda: Authorities Scared Of Protest Actions Which Will Break Out Already This Autumn

The regime is “getting prepared” for new protests with its primitive methods.

Brest activist of the “European Belarus” civil campaign Andrei Sharenda received a subpoena from the Minsk court for the participation in the May Day action. The activist told about this in an interview to the Charter97.org.

- Today I got a subpoena from the Pershamaiski district court of Minsk for May 25, concerning consideration of the administrative case under Article 23.34. I think they want to try me for the participation in the May Day action in Minsk.

This is not the first attempt of the authorities to subject me to some trial, subpoenas used to arrive before, the postman just threw them into the mailbox at the address where I had not lived for two years.

It seems to me that a subpoena came on May 18, I thought they had already tried me in absentia, but, apparently, the trial had been postponed.

I ignore these subpoenas as the courts now fine or detain innocent people, and I don’t want to go to jail.

Our legislation is such that they always state in the court protocols that they had informed about the session, though they actually hadn’t. Only a paper with a notice to pay the fine comes.

- How do you assess the actions of the authorities with regard to you and your family?

- Obviously, there is a targeted pressure on us. For example, my wife was kidnapped near the house on March 25, it's hard to say what caused the abduction of a woman raising two children at home.

And after the Freedom Day we were constantly watched, they watched, where we are going, what we are doing. Now the criminal case is being opened allegedly for "insulting Lukashenka", according to which me and my wife were handed subpoenas to appear as "witnesses". The first whom the policemen decided to call was me and my wife.

The pressure is not only on me, but also on other democratic activists who participated in the protest spring.

The authorities are "getting prepared" for new protests with their primitive "methods", because the actions will start again. After all, economic problems are not solved, the situation is deteriorating more and more, especially in the regions. The authorities promised a salary, to employ everyone - nothing was done.

The salaries that are offered to the unemployed are Bn150 ($ 75) - 200 ($ 100), no one will agree to work for such money.

By fines and detentions, the authorities show their own fear and want to bring down a new wave of protests, which will break out this autumn.