Ala Sannikava: My son is guilty only of running for President
Sannikau's mother confessed she had expected her son to be released in the court, and Mirzayanau's mother promised to go to the Square with him next time.
Andrej Sannikau's son Danik will turn 4 on May 15. A sentence to Andrej Sannikau was pronounced the day before his son's birthday in the Partyzanski district court of Minsk. Danik will not see his father for 5 years. The judge Natallia Chatsviartkova sentenced the politician to such a term in a reinforced-security colony for "organization of mass disturbances".
The ex-presidential candidate's mother Ala Sannikava confessed that such sentence was a shock to her.
Ala Sannikava: “I
thought he would be released! He is not guilty. He is only guilty in running
for president, in order to make our country a European state, to change it. But
you see how it happens here: if you dare to try to change the life of our
people and our country - you will go directly to prison. But I am proud of my
son. He endured all those tortures bravely”.
To the opinion of the politician's lawyers Andrej
Varvashevich and Maryna
Kavaleuskaya, his guilt has not been proved. Maryna
Kavaleuskaya claimed they would appeal the sentence.
Maryna Kavaleuskaya: “We
consider that the sentence with regard to Andrej Sannikau is illegal and
ungrounded. In our opinion, the fact of mass disturbances, described in Article
293 of the Criminal Code, has not been confirmed. No evidence has been provided
at the trial that Sannikau indeed intended to organize mass disturbances. In
spite of all the efforts of the defense the court declined a series of appeals
for no reason. Those appeals had a significant meaning in this case. This shows
that the trial was biased. This is a violation of procedural law. We will
appeal the sentence in due course”.
The UCP Chairman Anatol Liabedzka has said the following:
Anatol Liabedzka: “I think that none of them will serve the sentences pronounced by the judges to the end. The situation works against these sentences”.
Andrej Sannikau has become the first ex-presidential candidate, sentenced to imprisonment. 27 people have been convicted for participation in the events in the Independence Square on December 19 by now.
