Young Front Urges Under-aged Protestors to Stop Hungering

This is the 8th day of the youth hunger-strike in which about 40 activists from Minsk, Salihorsk, Hrodna, Zhodzina, Lida and the Ukrainian city of Lutsk take part. The hunger-strikers demand from the Belarusian authorities to stop the criminal persecution of the activists of Young Front and other democratic organizations and release the political prisoners.

According to the press-service of the Young Front, today the leadership of the organization has urged all under-aged activists to stop their participation in the hunger-strike:

Heres the text of the appeal:

Friends!

All of us have a great appreciation for the temerarious action of resistance, the youth hunger-strike with the demands to stop the criminal cases against members of the Young Front that has started in Salihorsk and is going on all over Belarus. This action impresses us with its decisiveness and courage. We are grateful to all of those who take part in it.

At the same time, we are very concerned with the state of the health of under-aged participants of the action. We cant take the responsibility for the health and lives of the selfless youngsters who arent afraid to affront the authoritarian Belarusian system. Thats why, admiring the decisiveness and courage of our youth, we ask and urge all under-aged hunger-strikers to stop their participation in the action.

Thank you for your sincere and devoted hearts!

Long live Belarus!

Siarhei Bakhun, Zmitser Dashkevich, Artur Finkevich, Barys Haretski, Dzianis Karnou, Zmitser Zkhvedaruk. Pavel Krasouski, Siarhei Lisichonak, Valery Matskevich.

5 June 2006