Maryja Kalesnikava from the Pre-trial Detention Center Appealed to World-Famous Lawyers

Lawyers in Belarus are treated like criminals.

"We are torchbearers at funerals," the famous lawyer Safia Kalistratava, who defended political prisoners in Soviet times, said to herself and her colleagues. It is not difficult to guess what she meant - 50 years ago in this region, the outstanding defense could not break through the meaninglessness of the judicial system, writes Maryja Kalesnikava, whose appeal is published by the telegram channel of Viktar Babaryka's team.

Nothing has changed in a single country. Outstanding professionals go to jail and lose their licenses; communicate with wards in rooms filled with microphones; listen to convictions for their clients, despite a brilliant legal job.

My lawyer Illia Salei is under house arrest.

My lawyer Maksim Znak is in the same jail as me.

My lawyer Aliaksandr Pylchanka was deprived of his license.

They want to revoke my lawyer Ludmila Kazak's license.

Coincidence? No. The regime removes everyone who has to protect me. It attacks and doesn't let me defend myself.

Maryja Kalesnikava appealed from the pre-trial detention center to world-famous lawyers.

The regime hopes that the lawyers in the country will soon run out. That a little more, and no one will dare to defend Maryja Kalesnikava. I am convinced that this will not happen. The money allocated for the police state will run out faster.

I ask world-renowned lawyers not to stand aside. Your colleagues in Belarus are treated like criminals. They are bullied, persecuted, threatened, and spat in their faces. We need your help. Please help us not to be left without an inviolable right - the right to defense," she wrote.

Let us remind you that the consideration of the license issue for lawyers Ludmila Kazak, Maksim Kanon, Mikhail Kiryluk is scheduled for February 19. More than 100 of their colleagues have already signed an appeal in their defense.