Liquidated rights group regains legal status under new name
The members of a prisoners' rights group called Platforma that
was closed down by a court earlier this year have founded an
organization under a new name.
Speaking to reporters in
Minsk on Friday, Platforma leader Andrey Bandarenka said that the new
organization was registered by the Belarusian capital's authorities on
December 7.
The new group, which has the English name Platform Innovation, is a "de facto successor" to Platforma, Mr. Bandarenka said.
"Platforma
was closed down because it provided assistance to ordinary citizens of
Belarus, raised very pressing problems, such as human rights abuse,
torture, the denial of citizens' right to defend their honor and
dignity," he stressed.
"The word 'innovation' included in the
name of the new organization means that we will defend not only human
rights but also people themselves in a country where their rights are
flagrantly violated by the state," said Mr. Bandarenka.
