Today Is Mikalai Statkevich's Birthday
16- 12.08.2024, 9:25
- 4,404
The leader of the Belarusian opposition is 68 years old.
Mikalai Statkevich celebrates his fifth birthday in a row behind bars. There has been no information about the policy for 550 days.
The Charter97.org website congratulates Mikalai Statkevich on his birthday and wishes him a soon release and fulfillment of his wishes in an independent and democratic Belarus.
Mikalai Statkevich was sentenced to 14 years in prison, he was accused of "organizing mass riots" (Art. 293 of the Criminal Code of Belarus).
Since the beginning of July 2022 — since Mikalai Statkevich began serving his sentence in the Hlybokae prison — he has had 23 penalties. He got into a punishment cell for 7-10 days at least 9 times. The political prisoner met the New Year in a punishment cell.
Mikalai Statkevich is kept in prison in the most severe conditions: the politician is kept in solitary confinement in hazardous conditions. It became known that in prison, Mikalai Statkevich had twice suffered COVID-19.
Recall that Natallia Radzina, the Editor-in-Chief of the Charter97.org website, demanded that the Belarusian authorities refute the information received from several sources about the possible death of Mikalai Statkevich in prison.
"Show us Mikalai Statkevich, if he is alive, show him to his closest and dearest person — Maryna Adamovich. Allow them a meet or at least a video call!
Otherwise, your silence will mean that the sources are right and the death of another political prisoner is on the conscience of Lukashenka and his punishers," Natallia Radzina said.
A number of European politicians joined the action.
What is Mikalai Statkevich known for?
In 1991, Statkevich announced the creation of the Belarusian Association of the Military ("Bielaruskaje Zhurtavannie Vajskoutsau"), which set the goal of "creating a Belarusian army, protecting independence and historical and patriotic education of society."
In 1999, Mikalai was one of the organizers of the Freedom March against the so-called "union state" and the policy of Aliaksandr Lukashenka. The Freedom March showed the whole world that Belarus is home to people who prefer the European democratic way of development to medieval dictatorship and barbarism.
In 2005, Statkevich was sentenced to 3 years of restriction of freedom for organizing a peaceful demonstration against the falsification of the results of the 2004 referendum.
Mikalai was one of the presidential candidates in the 2010 elections. He was arrested after a mass demonstration against the falsification of the presidential election on December 19, 2010. Mikalai spent almost five years behind bars and was released only on August 22, 2015. After his release, Statkevich continued to fight against the Lukashenka regime and took an active part in all protests.
On May 31, 2020, Mikalai Statkevich was detained on the way to the protest action, and in December 2021 he was sentenced to 14 years in a special regime prison.
Recall that Statkevich spent more than 10 years in prison for unparalleled courage in resisting the regime. The politician was recognized by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience three times. Even while in prison, Mikalai Statkevich remains a symbol of fortitude for Belarusians.
Bank's name: Bank Millennium S.A.
Address: ul. Stanislawa Zaryna, 2A, 02-593, Warszawa
IBAN: PL97116022020000000216711123
SWIFT: BIGBPLPW
Name of the account holder: Fundacja “KARTA ‘97”
Purpose/title of payment: Donation for statuary aims
You can contact us by the e-mail charter97@gmail.com
