English

Mothers, wives of seven political prisoners appeal to Christian clergymen for help

The mothers and wives of seven political prisoners have appealed to Christian clergymen to help them secure the release of Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s opponents.

The appeal has been signed by either the mothers or the wives of Andrey Sannikaw, Mikalay Statkevich, Dzmitry Bandarenka, Eduard Lobaw, Ales Byalyatski and Pavel Sevyarynets, as well as Anastasiya Palazhanka, the fiancée of Zmitser Dashkevich.

“Our sons, husbands and fiancés are remarkable, courageous people of Belarus: diplomats, writers, public figures, human rights defenders who are devoted believers and honest people. They love our country and do not deserve sufferings in prisons,” the appeal says.

The women detail the plight of each of the prisoners and note that more people are in prison in Belarus on politically motivated charges.

They stress that they have exhausted all legal remedies and done everything within their power to have the men released. “We are now pinning our hopes on God and his mercy, mercifulness and miracle. We believe that God acts through people. And now we are waiting for the miracle of God’s justice and your actions,” the appeal says.

The appeal has been addressed to Patriarchal Exarch Filaret, head of the Belarusian Exarchate of the Russian Orthodox Church; Archbishop Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, head of the Roman Catholic Church in Belarus; Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, apostolic nuncio to Belarus; Greek Catholic Archimandrite Syarhey Hayek; and four Protestant bishops. //BelaPAN