President of Austria Mr. Alexander Van der Bellen
President of the National Council of Austria Mr. Wolfgang Sobotka
Chancellor of Austria, Chairman of the People’s Party of Austria Mr. Sebastian Kurz
The Oppen Letter
Esteemed Gentlemen,
These days the President of the Republic of Belarus Mr. Aliaksandr Lukashenka is visiting Austria. These days the authorities of Belarus have opened the proceedings against Mr. Yuri Belenki, the Vice Chairman of the Conservative Christian Party – Belarusian People’s Front, the Member of Parliament (1990-1996).
The authorities persecute Mr. Belenki because he has participated in the commemorative events in memoriam of the victims of the Stalinist genocide in 1937-1941 which took place on November 3 and 10, 2019 in Minsk. Mr. Belenki was the official organizer of these events. These events where not commercial and were conducted peacefully. The police didn’t make any observations during the events. But after the events the police demanded Mr. Belenki to pay its services. This is illegal because the commemorative events were not commercial.
These requirements of the authorities contradict the principles of the OSCE and the ODIHR which have been recognized by the Republic of Belarus. In accordance with the paragraph 31 (edition of 2010) which is regulating the principles of the freedom of peaceful assembly and association the authorities have to bear the expenses of the ensuring of the public order during the public meetings.
We beg you, Esteemed Gentlemen, to show good will and to use your authority in order to stop the illegal persecution of Mr. Yuri Belenki.
Siarhei Papkou,
Vice Chairman of the Conservative Christian Party – Belarusian People’s Front
November 11, 2019
Minsk