Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Affairs, Leanid Marozau, comments on the new trial against Andrei Stryzhak scheduled to take place “in absentia” on April 18:
“The regime has announced that on April 18, the court in Homiel will begin the trial of Andrei Stryzhak, Yaraslau Likhacheuski, Aleh Kuzmiankou, Aliaksandr Lapko, Aliaksandra Zhuk, and Aliaksandr Padhorny, all of whom are linked to solidarity foundations. It is no longer surprising that the regime persecutes those who continue their activities outside Belarus – just as it will be no surprise when they are all found guilty of completely fabricated charges. However, the sheer number of charges against Andrei and the others tells us a lot about the regime itself: 18 articles in the indictment – likely a record. The regime fears solidarity and self-organization among Belarusians like fire.
After all the excesses of this disgraceful system – one that can hardly be called law enforcement – we have all shown how we can resist arbitrariness and support those caught in the machinery of repression. When we demonstrate solidarity and compassion, stand up for the unjustly persecuted, and help them through difficult times, it truly unnerves the Lukashenka regime.
I have no doubt that yet another unjust and unlawful sentence will not deter Andrei and his colleagues from continuing to help political prisoners. It is up to us to support Andrei, his team, and other solidarity funds so they can keep assisting political prisoners. Let’s keep going!”
