The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office calls to release all political prisoners, following the Supreme Court’s rejection of appeals in case of Kaliesnikava and Znak

December 25. The OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde, called for the release of all political prisoners in Belarus as she commented on the Supreme Court’s rejection of appeals against the sentences of Maryja Kaliesnikava and Maksim Znak.

“Sweden is not on holiday when it comes to standing up for human rights. Appalling news from Supreme Court of Belarus in case of Maryja Kaliesnikava and Maksim Znak. All 953 (already 956 — BPN) political prisoners must be immediately and unconditionally released. I continue to call on Minsk to respect international human rights,” Linde wrote on Twitter.

The decision to reject Kaliesnikava’s and Znak’s appeals was made on December 24 by the judge of the Supreme Court Aliaksej Rybakoŭ.

On September 6, the Minsk Regional Court (judge Siarhiej Jepichaŭ) sentenced Maryja Kaliesnikava, the spokesperson of presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka’s headquarters and the associate of the presidential candidate and leader of the democratic forces Sviatlana Cichanoŭskaja, to 11 years in prison. She was found guilty of conspiracy to seize power, creating an extremist formation, and publicly calling for actions threatening national security.

Babaryka’s lawyer Maksim Znak, who was tried together with Kaliesnikava, was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The announcement of the of the verdict became the only open part of the trial.