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Demand a Public Trial
for Maria & Maxim

Demand a Public Trial for
Maria & Maxim

We, the undersigned, demand a public trial for Maria Kalesnikava and Maxim Znak, the prominent figures of the democratic movement in Belarus. Recently, the Belarusian authorities have announced a closed trial over Maria & Maxim, which is planned to start on August 4. They are facing up to 12 years of imprisonment and are accused of:


— calls for actions aimed at causing harm to the national security of Belarus, committed using the media and the Internet;

— conspiracy to seize state power by unconstitutional means;

— creation of an extremist group and its leadership.

What have Maria and Maxim really done?

Maria Kalesnikava is a flutist and art director. She joined the team of the would-be presidential candidate Viktar Babaryka in May 2020 and from then on empowered the Belarusians to stand for their rights. By doing this, she also impressed millions of people around the globe — since September 2020 Maria has been awarded seven international awards.

Maxim Znak is an outstanding lawyer and lecturer who holds a Ph.D. in law, MBA degree and has been featured in the world legal rankings such as Chambers Europe, Who is Who Legal, IFLR-500. In May 2020 Maxim joined the team of Viktar Babaryka to provide legal assistance to the team and publicly explain to the Belarusians their rights and legal procedures. Later on, Maxim Znak represented the interests of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

Both Maria Kalesnikava and Maxim Znak, have been the members of the Presidium of the Coordination Council, a newly formed and recognized by the EU and US representative body of the Belarusian society which was created to overcome the political crisis in Belarus.


Both Maria and Maxim have been imprisoned since September 2020 — international human rights organisations have recognized them as political prisoners.

What is ahead for Maria and Maxim?

The trial should start on August 4. It is announced to be closed — it means neither the representatives of the independent media nor the citizens are allowed inside. Maria Kalesnikava and Maxim Znak have been supported enormously by Belarusian society, the international community, politicians, and influential people.

A public trial is an opportunity to explicitly show that there is no corpus delicti in the actions of Maxim and Maria. We are convinced that if the trial is fair, they will definitely be acquitted.


We demand a public trial for Maria Kalesnikava and Maxim Znak — the truth should be spoken out loud.

«WHY WOULD YOU NEED A CLOSED TRIAL?»,
— this is the question we want everyone to ask the current Belarusian authorities.

Why would you need a closed trial If there is supposedly enough evidence of what Maria and Maxim are guilty of?
Why would you need a closed trial if they say that the accusation of Maria and Maxim is based on their public speeches — means the society has already heard everything and there is no secret to be revealed?
Demand a Public Trial
What can you do?
Sign this letter and call on the Belarusian authorities and Minsk regional court

HOLD A PUBLIC TRIAL


and ensure access of independent media, observers, and the public to the trial and guarantee their safety and no political persecution afterward.

HOLD A PUBLIC TRIAL


and ensure access of independent media, observers, and the public to the trial and guarantee their safety and no political persecution afterward.

We invite you to share this open letter with politicians, public persons, human rights defenders, artists, lawyers, and other people whose voices can help Maria and Maxim protect their legal rights and prove their innocence.

Thanks for your support!

Demand a #PublicTrialforMaria&Maxim

Sign the Open Letter
AWARDS
MARIA KALESNIKAVA
  1. The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought
  2. The Martin Luther Fearless Word Award
  3. The Baum Foundation’s Human Rights Prize
  4. The International Women of Courage Award
  5. The Lev Kopelev Prize for Peace and Human Rights
  6. Jan Nowak-Jeziorański Award
  7. Spirit of Jan Karski Award
AWARDS
MARIA KALESNIKAVA
  1. The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought
  2. The Martin Luther Fearless Word Award
  3. The Baum Foundation’s Human Rights Prize
  4. The International Women of Courage Award
  5. The Lev Kopelev Prize for Peace and Human Rights
  6. Jan Nowak-Jeziorański Award
  7. Spirit of Jan KarskensPreis
INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ABOUT MARIA KALESNIKAVA, MAXIM ZNAK, and recent closed trials
  1. Six political prisoners are on trial under ‘Tsikhanouski's case
  2. Belarus opposition head Tikhanovskaya condemns 'sham trial' of husband
  3. Belarus: High-profile opposition figures arrested in 'security' probe
  4. Belarus opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova 'snatched from street' in Minsk
  5. Belarusian opposition figure Maxim Znak arrested by masked men
> 4500 people
have already demanded
a public trial for Maria and Maxim
AMONG THEM ARE:

  1. Sviatlana Aleksievich, Nobel Prize Winner in literature, member of the Coordination Council Board
  2. Sviatalana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarusian opposition leader
  3. Veronica Tsepkalo, one of the leaders of the united headquarters of Belarusian opposition, the founder of the Belarusian Women’s Fund, leader of Valery Tsepkalo’s headquarters
  4. Julie Fisher, the United States Ambassador to Belarus
  5. Franak Viachorka, advisor to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on international politics
  6. Volha Kavalkova, member of the Coordination Council Board, co-chairwoman of the BCD
  7. Maksim Bahratsou, coordinator of the Viktar Babarika headquarters
  8. Robert Biedron, member of the European Parliament
  9. Uladzimir Tsesler, artist, resident of free Belarus
  10. Aleksandra Herasimenia, head of the Belarusian Sports Solidarity Foundation
  11. Claudia Roth, vice president of the German Bundestag, member of Parliament
  12. Siarhei Chaly, independent analyst, economist
  13. Margareta Cederfelt, member of Parliament, Sweden
  14. Pavel Latushka, head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, member of the Coordination Council Board
  15. Annalena Baerbock, party leader of Alliance 90 / The Greens, Chancellor candidate in the 2021 federal election in German
  16. Gerhart and Renate Baum, the founders of the Gerhart and Renata Baum Foundation
  17. Yelena Leuchanka, athlete
  18. Margit Stumpp, member of the Bundestag
  19. Liudmila Kazak, former lawyer of Maria Kalesnikava
  20. Sasha Filipenko, writer
  21. Nicolai Khalezin, artistic director of the Belarus Free Theater
  22. Natalia Kaliada, artistic director of the Belarus Free Theater
  23. Helena Langšádlová, MP, Czech Republic
  24. Alyaksei Paluyan, film director
  25. Oleg Sentsov, film director, former political prisoner
  26. Siarhei Dyleuski, member of the Coordination Council Board, head of the Belarusian Association of Workers
  27. Margarita Levchuk, opera singer
  28. Alhierd Bacharevic, writer
  29. Uladzimir Matskevich, founder of the Flying University, EuroBelarus, Humanitarian Technologies Agency
  30. Katarina Ammitzbøll, member of Parliament, Denmark
  31. Ales Aliakhnovich, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's representative for economic reforms, member of the Coordination Council Economic Group
  32. Volha Shparaha, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's representative for education, member of the Coordination Council
  33. Nadzeya Astapchuk, sports manager, member of the Coordination Council
  34. Katsiaryna Snytsina, athlete
  35. Andrei Yahorau, analyst at the Center for European Transformation, member of the Coordination Council
  36. Ivan Kravtsov, coordinator of the Viktar Babarika headquarters, executive secretary of the Coordination Council
  37. Aliaksandra Ramanouskaya, world champion in frestyle skiing
  38. Anzhela Krasheuskaya, director/founder of the Visual and Performing ARTS Centre ART Corporation, member of the Coordination Council
  39. Dzmitry Kruk, researcher of the Belarusian Economic Research and Outreach Center (BEROC), member of the Coordination Council
  40. Yegor Mescheriakov, belarusian basketball player, FIBA ​​Athletes' Commission
  41. Anton Radniankou, coordinator of the Viktar Babarika headquarters
  42. Timothy Garton Ash, professor of European Studies, University of Oxford, Guardian columnist
  43. Robert Habeck, party leader of Alliance 90 / The Greens
  44. Tania Marinich, CEO of Imaguru, member of the Coordination Council
  45. Angelika Agurbash, artist
  46. Dr. Sergey Lagodinsky, member of the European Parliament
  47. Andrei Kureichyk, screenwriter, playwrighter, director, member of the Coordination Council
  48. Natalia Makhanko, director of «Chance» Foundation
  49. Robert Tyszkiewicz, member of Polish Parliament, Chairman of the parliamentary group for Belarus
  50. Natallia Dulina, lecturer of the educational center Dante, member of the Coordination Council
  51. Dmitri Zubov, conductor, pianist, harpsichordist
  52. Paul Strasburger, member of the House of Lords
  53. Stewart Wood, politician, member of the House of Lords
  54. Artsiom Praskalovich, legal adviser at National Anti-crisis Management
  55. Evgenia Suhak, editor-in-chief of The Village Belarus
  56. Yury Hubarevich, head of the For Freedom movement, member of the Coordination Council
  57. Andrius Kubilius, member of European Parliament, Lithuania
  58. Dovile Sakaliene, member of Parliament of the Republic of Lithuania
  59. Aleh Aheyeu, deputy chairman of the Belarusian Association of Journalists
  60. Aliaksandr Yarashuk, chairman of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP), member of the Coordination Council
  61. Adam D. Rotfeld, professor, Warsaw University
  62. Anna Fotyga, member of the European Parliament
  63. Dzianis Hotta, director of Hotta Architect, member of the Coordination Council
  64. Laura Boldrini, MP, Italian Chamber of Deputies
  65. Aliaksandr Nikalaichuk, USSR Master of Sports in fencing
  66. Mikalai Shybeka, member of the Coordination Council
  67. Martin Schulze Wessel, professor of the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich
  68. Natallia Abrashyna-Zhadayava, professor of the Belarusian State University, member of the Coordination Council
  69. Brigitte Dufour, director of International Partnership for Human Rights (IPHR)
  70. Iryna Dubovsky, associate professor of BSU, Candidate of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
  71. Dolidovich Siarhei, belarusian skier, participant of seven Olympic Games
  72. Aliaksei Shchurko, CEO of Gurtam, member of the Coordination Council
  73. Anatol Bukas, editor-in-chief of the newspaper «Borisov's news»
  74. Yury Hushcha, legal adviser, member of the Coordination Council
  75. Ivan Rebeko, oncologist-surgeon
  76. Tatiana Shchyttsova, philosopher, professor of the European Humanities University, Vilnius
  77. Natallia Panamarenka, radiation oncologist
  78. Aliaksei Shkor, CEO, member of the Coordination Council
  79. Kazimierz Ujazdowski, member of Senat, Poland
  80. Konstantin Goryachy, musician
  81. Yuliya Mitskevich, co-organiser of the Coordination Council Fem Group
  82. Michael Gahler, member of the European Parliament, EPP Foreign policy coordinator
  83. Ugis Libietis, journalist, Latvian Radio
  84. Mikalai Strekha, head of the department of education and methodology in Minsk Innovation University, member of the Coordination Council
  85. Clara Froger, violinist from France
  86. Dr. Marko Ciciliani, composer, University professor for Composition
  87. Aleh Maiseyeu, member of the Coordination Council
  88. Dzmitruy Shershan, judoist, Master of Sport of International Class, many-time medalist of the European championships
  89. Dzmitry Nagaichanka, representative of the volunteer movement, member of the Coordination Council
  90. Vitali Alekseenok, orchestral conductor
  91. Fabrizia Ruggio, lawyer, Padua Bar Association, Italy
  92. Dmitri Kourliandski, composer
  93. Aksana Zaretskaya, culture expert, member of the Coordination Council
  94. Victor Zhuk, priest
  95. Mikhail Kiryliuk, legal adviser at the National Anti-Crisis Management, member of the Coordination Council
  96. Yulia Dinerstein, musician
  97. Valery Matskevich, politician, member of the Coordination Council
  98. Dr. Stefan Kaufmann, member of the Bundestag
  99. Vitaly Molchan, dancer, choreographer
  100. Alexander Dabravolski, member of the Coordination Council
  101. Hanna Komar, poetess, translator
  102. Vladislav Bogomolnikov, priest
  103. Marco Fieber, chairman, Libereco – Partnership for Human Rights
  104. Mikita Salavei, physician, member of the Coordination Council
  105. Volha Zazulinskaya, head of the project of assistance to political prisoners, the Country for Life Foundation
  106. Artur Udrys, belarusian volleyball player
  107. Stsiapan Papou, world and European champion in sambo
  108. Volha Belmach, former TV presenter
  109. Almira Ousmanova, professor of the Department of Social Sciences, European Humanities University
  110. Vsevolod Astakhov, lawyer
  111. Aliaksei Ladzik, musician
  112. Ivan Pishchynski, doctor, Candidate of Medical Sciences, Associate professor
  113. Anna Yaroshinskaya, lawyer
  114. Siarhei Budkin, head of the Belarusian Council for Culture
  115. Natasha Akinina, opera singer
  116. Tatsiana Seviarynets, mother of the political prisoner Pavel Seviarynets
  117. Ihar Palynski, journalist, musician, Sumarok band leader
  118. Aliaksei Shota, editor-in-chief of Hrodna.life
  119. Ewa Junczyk-Ziomecka, president of Jan Karski Educational Foundation
  120. Andrzej Rojek, chairman, Jan Karski Educational Foundation
  121. Claude Jean Marie Thebault, editor
  122. Joanna Podolska, director of the Marek Edelman Dialogue Center, Lodz
  123. Aliaksandr Dubrouski, priest, doctor of theology, Candidate of Philological Sciences, Associate professor
  124. Alaksiej Kubrakou, legal adviser
  125. Jim Knight, lord Knight of Weymouth
  126. Dovydzko Siarhei, atletics coach
  127. Marek Hilšer, Senator of the Parliament, the Czech Republic
  128. Vitali Alekseenok, orchestral conductor
  129. Alena Hil, artist
  130. Hanna Radziejowska, head of the Pilecki Institute Berlin
  131. Vitali Vesialouski, musician
  132. Iryna khamrenka-Ushakova, journalist
  133. Wojciech Pawłowski, member of the board of directors, Jan Karski Educational Foundation
  134. Kirill Shukis, lawyer
  135. Manuela Rottmann, member of the German Bundestag
  136. Fidan Aghayeva-Edler, pianist
  137. Alexandra Filonenko, composer
  138. Nataliya Mirimanova, Eurasia Peace Initiative, founder and director
  139. Hanna Dapshevichute, General Secretary of the Belarusian National Youth Council RADA
  140. Manuel Hidalgo Navas, musician
  141. Pavel Levinau, representative of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee in the Vitebsk region
  142. Maximilian Marcoll, professor for electroacoustic composition and sound art, Bauhaus University Weimar
  143. Johanna Allevato, singer
  144. Hans Thomalla, professor, Northwestern University, Chicago
  145. Prof. Chaya Czernown, composer, professor of Music Harvard University
  146. Angelika Luz, professor of th State University of Music and Performing Arts, Stuttgart
  147. Nesteruk Serhii, conductor in Kyiv national operetta theatre
  148. Maxim Shalygin, composer
  149. François Sarhan, composer
  150. Gadenstätter Clemens, professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz
  151. Benjamin Scheuer, composer
  152. Simon Steen-Andersen, composer, performer, installation artist, professor
  153. Mikalai Kazlou, leader of the United Civil Party
  154. Anton Niadzelka, Chairman of the Belarusian association RAZAM, Germany
  155. José Sánchez-Verdú, professor
  156. Alena Popova, lawyer, candidate for deputy of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, founder of the project Tineodna.ru
  157. Maryna Rusia Shukiurava, vocalist of the Shuma band
  158. Sarah Nemtsov, composer
  159. Teodoro Anzellotti, musician
  160. Cordelia Dvorák, artist
  161. Steingrimur Rohloff, composer
  162. Małgorzata Walentynowicz, pianist
  163. Johannes Schöllhorn, composer
  164. Vladimir Rannev, composer
  165. Birke Bertelsmeier, composer
  166. Carola Bauckholt, composer, professor of composition at the Anton Bruckner Privatuniversität in Linz, Austria
  167. Daniel Peter Biro, composer
  168. Ivan Menshenin, politician, Chairman of the Khanty-Mansiysk Branch of the Yabloko Party, candidate for the State Duma of the Russian Federation
Thanks for supporting
Maria and Maxim! 
Courageously created by Babariko Team
Get in touch:
info@politzek.me
@kalesnikava
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