Dr. Martin Hecker: Closed Court is Fascistic and Stalins Time History

31.07.2006.

German Ambassador in Belarus Martin Hecker stated that he considers the trial over embers of the civil initiative of elections observation Partnerstva is a violation of the international laws. German Ambassador stated that he is going to inform the Foreign Ministry of Finland, the country presiding in the EU, about that.

International standards exist. You may look at them. We know from our history when a court can work secretly. Its a history of Fascist and Stalins times, when top secret files existed. And verdicts were passed strictly confidentially, Martin Hecker believes.

I have been always thinking that it would be impossible in todays Europe. That is why I am surprised. I am a lawyer, I worked as an attorney. I was engaged in the issues of human rights in Strasbourg. Unfortunately, Belarus has not become a member of the Council of Europe. And Belarus has not become a member state of the European Convention on Human Rights and Basic freedoms, the press service of the United Civil Party reports the words of the German diplomat.

The trial over the activists of the civil initiative Partnerstva is to continue on Monday, July 31 at 10 a.m. in the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk. On Friday, at the first session of the court, the defendants started to give evidence.

Judge Leanid Yasinovch dismissed a motion of lawyers, who asked permission for family members to attend the trial as witnesses of defence, the Radio Svaboda informs.
Source: www.charter97.org