Dozens of European directors, actors and other artists have called on Serbian authorities not to extradite Belarusian activist Andrei Gnyot to Belarus. In an open letter published on Monday, the artists warn that Gnyot faces “imprisonment, torture and even the death penalty” if sent back to Belarus. The letter was signed by over 20 Serbian directors and cultural figures.
More than 70 prominent international and Serbian directors and film artists have joined Belarusian filmmakers in signing the open letter, urging the Belgrade Court of Appeals and Serbia’s Justice Minister, Maja Popovic, to block the extradition of filmmaker and democracy activist Gnyot to Belarus.
The Serbian Court of Appeals is set to hold the final hearing on Tuesday, August 27, in the case of Andrei Gnyot, when a decision will be made on whether he will be extradited to Belarus.
The signatories of the letter and international human rights groups believe that, if extradited, Gnyot would face imprisonment, torture and even the death penalty.
“The Serbian authorities should consult international human rights organizations, which in this case are calling for the immediate release of Gnyot, emphasizing that the charges are politically motivated,” said the award-winning Polish director Agnieszka Holland, who also signed the letter.
Some of the signatories of the letter include European Film Academy President Juliette Binoche, Belarusian Nobel prize winner Svetlana Alexievich, Russian director Kirill Serebrennikov, Ukrainian film director Oleh Sentsov, Serbian filmmakers Srdjan Dragojevic, Biljana Prvanovic, Boban Skerlic, Srdan Golubovic, professor Janko Baljak and others.
The open letter will be sent to the Appeals Court and Serbian justice minister on Tuesday.
As The Guardian reports, Gnyot, a film-maker who was instrumental in organizing an alliance of athletes to oppose the dictatorial rule of Alexander Lukashenko, was detained on arrival in Serbia last year after Belarus issued a warrant for his arrest on tax evasion charges via Interpol.
He says the charges are political.
Gnyot spent seven months in jail in Belgrade before being released to house arrest in June.
Source: N1
