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BELARUSIAN LAWYER NOMINATED FOR HRANT DINK AWARD
PanARMENIAN.Net
April 13, 2012 - 13:59 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Amnesty International Germany stated the intention
to nominate Belarusian lawyer Pavel Sapelka for the International
Hrant Dink Award, presented to people who work for a world free
of discrimination, racism, and violence, take personal risks for
their ideals, use the language of peace and by doing so, inspire and
encourage others, charter97.org reported.
The expert group on Belarus believes that the nomination of Pavel
Sapelka is a good opportunity to call public attention to the difficult
situation of lawyers in Belarus, the report says.
In March 2011 the presidium of the Minsk City Bar yielded to
the pressure of the Ministry of Justice and expelled Mr. Sapelka
from the bar, thus depriving him of the opportunity to continue his
professional activity. At that time the lawyer was defending figurants
of the criminal case concerning the "mass riot" of 19 December 2010 -
Andrei Sannikau and Pavel Seviarynets, as well as Dzmitry Dashkevich
(arrested on charges of beating a passer-by on 18 December).
Hrant Dink, a well-known Armenian Turkish journalist of, editor of the
Agos weekly issued in Turkey, was killed in 2007 in Istanbul. Hrant
Dink Foundation has been presented to courageous civil activists or
journalists struggling for freedom of speech and human rights.
Traditionally, two prize holders are chosen each year - a citizen of
Turkey and a foreigner. The International Hrant Dink Award Committee
includes Dink's widow Rakel Dink, members of the European Parliament,
writers and civil activists. The award ceremony takes place in
Istanbul.
PanARMENIAN.Net
April 13, 2012 - 13:59 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - Amnesty International Germany stated the intention
to nominate Belarusian lawyer Pavel Sapelka for the International
Hrant Dink Award, presented to people who work for a world free
of discrimination, racism, and violence, take personal risks for
their ideals, use the language of peace and by doing so, inspire and
encourage others, charter97.org reported.
The expert group on Belarus believes that the nomination of Pavel
Sapelka is a good opportunity to call public attention to the difficult
situation of lawyers in Belarus, the report says.
In March 2011 the presidium of the Minsk City Bar yielded to
the pressure of the Ministry of Justice and expelled Mr. Sapelka
from the bar, thus depriving him of the opportunity to continue his
professional activity. At that time the lawyer was defending figurants
of the criminal case concerning the "mass riot" of 19 December 2010 -
Andrei Sannikau and Pavel Seviarynets, as well as Dzmitry Dashkevich
(arrested on charges of beating a passer-by on 18 December).
Hrant Dink, a well-known Armenian Turkish journalist of, editor of the
Agos weekly issued in Turkey, was killed in 2007 in Istanbul. Hrant
Dink Foundation has been presented to courageous civil activists or
journalists struggling for freedom of speech and human rights.
Traditionally, two prize holders are chosen each year - a citizen of
Turkey and a foreigner. The International Hrant Dink Award Committee
includes Dink's widow Rakel Dink, members of the European Parliament,
writers and civil activists. The award ceremony takes place in
Istanbul.