Call for solidaruty with Belarus: Christian Democrats co-chair, Pavel Seviarynets, in prison again
On 6 August 2018 the Frunzenski district court in Minsk, Belarus, sentenced the co-chairman of the Belarusian Christian Democracy, Pavel Seviarynets, one of the leaders of the protests against the restaurant Let’s Go Get Some Eats near Kurapaty memorial. Later on the same day he was arrested nearby his the house, where he lives with his family, as his wife reported.
The court considered the presence of Seviarynets near the restaurant with a flag the “unauthorized picket” and and sentenced him to 10 days of arrest. The politician considers this verdict as lawless. The authorities just want to bring down a wave of protests against the restaurant near Kurapaty.
“The defense will continue despite the arrest of leaders, this is no problem. In order to stop the watch, they will have to arrest several hundreds people who take part in the watch in turns. In early July, the six most active participants were arrested, but this did not stop our defense,” – Seviarynets said. In total, the courts have already brought more than 140 administrative cases against citizens protesting against the opening of the restaurant Let’s Go Get Some Eats.
Earlier, Seviarynets was fined 50 basic units for taking part in a press conference at the gates of the restaurant Let’s Go Get Some Eats, which the court called “picketing.” The court then found him guilty under Part 3 of Art. 23.34 of the Administrative Code “Violation of the procedure of organizing or holding a mass event.”
Paval Seviarynets is at the restaurant almost daily. In early July, he was among the eight detained activists. He had already spent 10 days behind bars for picketing in Kurapaty in July 2018.
During his previous prison term, the authorities violated his rights multiple times – they did not allow visits of the lawyer and food parcels from the family. They also confiscated the part of the manuscript of Seviarynets’ new book, which he work on while he was under arrest.
The BCD calls for solidarity with Pavel Seviarynets and as well as with all civil activists suffering from state repressions for using their rights for freedom of speech and assembly.
The situation with freedom of speech, organisations, assembly continues to be very troublesome in Belarus. The attack on independent trade-unions and mass media continues and increases its scale.
On the photo: Pavel Seviarynets and his family after his was set free from prison in July 2018.
