Germany and the first Vice-president of the European Parliament describe the decision of the Supreme Court to uphold the sentences of Kaliesnikava and Znak as shameful

December 26. German Foreign Ministry described the decision of the Supreme Court of Belarus to uphold the sentences of Maryja Kaliesnikava and Maksim Znak as shameful.

“Germany demands an end to political persecution and freedom for all political prisoners. We will continue to support civil society in Belarus,” the Foreign Ministry said in its statement.

The First Vice-President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola (Malta), made a similar statement.

“A shameful decision. Maryja Kaliesnikava and those fighting for freedom and democracy should know that they are not alone. Tonight and every night we stand with Belarus. The European Parliament will keep calling for all political prisoners to be freed. The regime will be held accountable,” Matsola stressed.

As reported by BPN, the OSCE Chairperson-in-Office, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde, called for the release of all political prisoners following the verdict of the Supreme Court.

The decision to reject Kaliesnikava’s and Znak’s complaint 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 verdict was the only open part of the trial.