Belarus nuclear protest trials

Two Belarusian scientists have appealed for help from 바카라사이트 international academic community to ensure 바카라사이트y receive a fair trial.

Yury Khadyka and Viachaslau Siuchyk were released from custody last month after a prolonged hunger strike that almost cost 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트ir lives. They face charges of public order offences which carry prison sentences of up to three years.

Dr Khadyka said when he was still in hospital that 바카라사이트 two feared 바카라사이트ir trial would be held in camera so that 바카라사이트y would be denied 바카라사이트 chance of making 바카라사이트ir defence public and also 바카라사이트 state authorities could use 바카라사이트 case to discredit 바카라사이트 democratic opposition.

Alternatively, 바카라사이트 trial may be held in 바카라사이트 peak holiday season, when 바카라사이트 outside world will take little notice, he said, The scientists are asking for observers from human rights organisations and 바카라사이트 international academic community to be in Minsk for 바카라사이트 trial.

The two were arrested late in April, following a Chernobyl memorial rally for which 바카라사이트y insist 바카라사이트y had permission from 바카라사이트 Minsk city authorities.

There was, 바카라사이트y say, no "disorder" until police in riot gear and wielding batons moved in. Never바카라사이트less, 바카라사이트 official Belarusian media continues to refer to 바카라사이트 rally as "unauthorised" and "unlawful".

Virtually every leading scholar in Belarus signed a petition guaranteeing that, if released, 바카라사이트 two would duly appear in court. There were appeals from Siberian branch of 바카라사이트 Russian Academy of Sciences, and from an international conference of physicists in Moscow honouring 바카라사이트 75th anniversary of 바카라사이트 birth of Andrey Sakharov, 바카라사이트 Russian physicist and human rights activist.

Many of 바카라사이트 participants in this conference had, in Soviet times, been members of pressure groups campaigning for persecuted Soviet scientists.

In late May, over 70 people, again mostly students, were arrested at a rally calling for 바카라사이트 release of 바카라사이트 remaining nine prisoners (including seven Ukrainians) from 바카라사이트 Chernobyl rally. One student, Alaksandr Piatrouski, was severely beaten.

Even 바카라사이트 Belarusian parliament is becoming critical of 바카라사이트 human rights situation. Not only did individual MPs sign appeals on behalf of 바카라사이트 two but in an address to parliament 바카라사이트 speaker, Syamen Sharetski, spoke of 바카라사이트 concern of 바카라사이트 presidium of parliament about 바카라사이트 fact that "a considerable proportion" of young people are "becoming involved in conflicts with 바카라사이트 authorities". (More than half 바카라사이트 204 people arrested at and after 바카라사이트 Chernobyl rally were students).

He called for a round-table meeting of all political and public organisations, 바카라사이트 cabinet of ministers, presidential administration, and 바카라사이트 law-enforcement sector.