" We hope that a public hearing of this case that will comply with all standards and principles of fair trial, such as equality of parties, presumption of innocence, and adversarial principle, will prevent the interested parties from turning the trial into an instrument of reprisal," the letter reads.

The Human Rights House Network has been closely following the situation with the criminal persecution of Leanid Svetsik and intends to continue informing the Directorate General of Human Rights and Legal Affairs of the Council of Europe and the Office of the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders about the ongoing investigation and interrogation of Svetsik.