Belarusian human rights organizations have recognized Eduard Palchys aka John Silver as a political prisoner. The statement was signed by the Human Rights Center Viasna (closed by the authorities), Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), Legal Transformations Center, Belarusian Human Rights House, Belarusian Documentary Center, Committee to Protect Victims of Repressions "Salidarnasc".
Palchys will stand trial on October 14. His wife Viktoryia Shchukevich revealed earlier today that the trial would be behind closed doors. Palchys faces charges of instigating racial, ethnic or religious hatrage and distribution of pornography. A court in Belarus had earlier found nine articles on his website 1863x.com to be extremist.
Human rights lawyers have studied the Palchys case files and come to a conclusion that the articles in question did not call for war, violence or racial, ethnic and religious hatrage. In their view, the article pose no threat to national security, public order, health and moral standards. "The articles are nothing else than author's opinions with regard to various historic events and facts. They contain critical comments on certain geopolitical concepts and foreing policies of certain states. The author did not aim to degrade representatives of certain nationalities and ethnic or racial groups," reads the statement of the rights defenders. In their view, the texts "represent an allowed form of expression. Correspondingly, they cannot be subjected to criminal prosecution."
The human rights acvisists have also mentioned the pornographic image in question, which illustrated one of the texts on the website 1863х.com. They said it was "a shortsighted step" by Palchys. However, it should not justify his imprisonment, because "Palchys had no ulerior or dirty motives."
The rights defenders demand to release Eduard Palchys and drop charges against him. They also demand an open trial to make sure that he can enjoy fair court proceedings.