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Jauhen Afnagel: The Dictatorship Is a Coward

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Jauhen Afnagel: The Dictatorship Is a Coward
Photo: svaboda.org

Spring-2017 taught Belarusians how to win.

Coordinator of European Belarus Jauhen Afnagel told in the interview with Charter97.org.

- On June 22 Ministers of Foreign Affairs of 17 countries of Central and Eastern Europe arrive in Minsk. Do European values give a point to make such visits to the country with political prisoners?

- Such visits are unacceptable not only from the point of view of moral values, but also of elementary logic.

Authoritative international organizations have repeatedly stated that "elections" violate the law in our country. It means that Lukashenka, "deputies" and appointed ministers are illegitimate. If some European officials consider it permissible to meet and negotiate on an equal footing with those who hold their posts illegally, then they just humiliate themselves.

In addition, in September military exercises "West-2017" with Russia will be held in Belarus. They are the threat not only for independence of our country but also for a number of states which ministers will be on June 22 in Minsk. The defence doctrine of some of them, for example Poland and Ukraine, calls Russia the main source of danger. Why are they about to visit Putin's ally on the eve of such exercises?

- Opposition activists are going to hold a rally on June 22 in Minsk. Why is it important to perform on this day?

- As you said earlier, on June 22 the Foreign Ministers from country-members of the Central European Initiative arrive in Minsk. They will meet with Lukashenka, Makei, other officials who are unlikely to recall political criminal cases and torture in prisons. The international forum is used for propaganda.

The silence of the opposition on this day is the demonstration of agreement both with the dictator and with the strange policy of some of our neighbours who openly turn a blind eye to human rights violations in Belarus.

The picket on this day which is planned on 6 pm on October Square is an opportunity to state that there are still political prisoners in the center of Europe.

- You, as coordinator of the European Belarus civil campaign, appealed to participants of the OSCE PA session of July-5-9 to increase pressure on the Lukashenka regime. What do you want to say to the ministers arriving on June 22?

- We have repeatedly witnessed how the principled position of democratic countries helped to achieve the release of political prisoners. It happened like that in 2008, when Aliaksandr Kozulin, Siarhei Parsyukevich and Andrei Kim were released from prisons . It happened like that in 2011, when most of prisoners captured for the Square were released.

We can recall the past century as well: the consistent and clear position of leaders of the leading Western countries made the Soviet rulers not only release dissidents from prisons, but also start Perestroika. World leaders were not afraid of the USSR, they did not believe its two-faced leaders and could tell the difference between the good and the evil. Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher went down in history as the victors of communism. I would like to hope that today there will be those among the leaders of the democratic world who help to destroy the dictatorship in the center of Europe and make the continent free from tyranny.

- During spring protests the Belarusians showed that they were ready to show solidarity in the struggle for their rights. Why is it now necessary to show the same solidarity with political prisoners?

- The authorities closely follow the reaction of the society to their actions. They observe whether we are ready to fight for our rights, our comrades, our leaders. If we are ready, they retreat. It happened in the spring when Lukashenka suspended Decree No. 3.

If we fight for the release of political prisoners, they will be released. If not, then their number will increase. So once again I'd like to appeal to all those who care about the fate of Dzmitry Palienka, Mikhail Zhemchuzhny, political prisoners in the Patriot Case: it depends on us how soon they all leave prisons and see their relatives and friends. Spring-2017 taught Belarusians how to win.

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