Among those who have been and are systematically subjected to pressure from the authorities of Belarus are teachers, scientists, and representatives of the academic community. Many of the talented, outstanding Belarusian scientists, due to the real threat to health and life, are forced to emigrate from the country. Some of them are deprived of liberty on grounds that do not meet the requirements established by the international obligations of the Republic of Belarus.
After nine months of pre-trial detention, a well-known scientist in the international academic community, a prominent figure in the Belarusian civil society, philosopher and educator Uladzimir Matskevich will soon appear before the court. In his scientific works, lectures, and conceptual developments, he outlines the ways of advancing the Belarusian society towards European values, unites the intellectual elite of Belarus around him, and is an authority for a wide range of like-minded scientists, publicists, and civil activists. If the state does not recognize the pluralism of opinions and leaves no opportunity for citizens to independently choose information for critical reflection, then the activity of thinkers and researchers by such a state is recognized as dangerous. In this case, any statement, critical comments or assessments can become and are becoming the basis for initiating a criminal case and imprisonment.
The official media cover little about everything related to the criminal prosecution of Uladzimir Matskevich. His followers and colleagues remain in the dark about the nature of the charges against him. Meanwhile, the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus gives all of us the right to expect from the state:
- ensuring an open trial, in which public access to the courtroom in the case of Uladzimir Matskevich will be provided;
- effective defense by a lawyer who, competently and without fear of being deprived of his/her license, performs his/her professional duty to provide legal assistance to Uladzimir Matskevich;
- implementation of equality of the parties in the process in practice.
For Uladzimir Matskevich, who has been in prison for nine months, the very fact of detention during the trial can significantly affect the ability to implement the guarantees of a fair trial, including the equality of the parties in the process.
The Belarusian society needs scientists, including Uladzimir Matskevich, to have the opportunity to develop public consciousness by comprehending reality, searching for ways of economic, social and cultural progress. The detention of scientists such as Uladzimir Matskevich sets back the development of Belarus for many years.
The academic community of the European Humanities University, a university in exile, calls for an end to punitive measures against the intellectual and spiritual development of the next generations of Belarusian citizens.
We are waiting for Uladzimir Matskevich to be released!
The EHU Senate appeals to the European and world academic community with a request to raise their voice in defense of Belarusian scientists who are subjected to illegal dismissals, administrative and criminal prosecutions, imprisonment only because they honestly performed and continue to perform their civic and official duty to their students, their educational institutions, their country.