Wives of Yury Bandazhewski and Uladzimir Rawkow Stand for “Viasna”

Halina Bandazhewskaya and Natallia Rawkova, wives of the criminally punished radiology researchers, filed a letter to Viktar Halavanaw, Minister of Justice.

Dear Minister of Justice!

We are very anxious with the intention of the Ministry of Justice to liquidate the Human Rights Center “Viasna” through court.

In our country we are told all the time that Belarus successfully develops as a democratic social state where the man, his rights and liberties and the guarantees for their realization are treated as the main treasure. This internal politics is fulfilled with the assistance of the mechanism of legal regulation, the main role in which belongs to the Constitution. The Constitution defines the concrete rules, obligatory for the State and all of its bodies.

We are to apply the Constitution to our view on public associations that are a means of expression for certain social groups. Public associations are indicators of the State tolerance to different opinions. If the State bodies disparage public associations, it points at great problems with tolerance in our State.

We have to state that, closing one more public organization the Ministry of Justice disrupt the principles on which our State is grounded. The body You head has a-priori other tasks.

We hope that Your wisdom of a State man, Your civil duty and Your conscience will wholly manifest in the decision of the fate of Human Rights Center “Viasna”. It gave us and many other people support and understanding. Pitifully enough, not every State body can boast having such gratitude of the republic’s citizens.

We believe that the situation with the Human Rights Center “Viasna” will be decided in favor of common sense thanks to Your facilitation which we expect and about which we ask You.

Halina Bandazhewskaya
Natallia Rawkova 15 October 2003