UNICEF Representative in Belarus

Appeal to Dr. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar

UNICEF Representative in Belarus

Appeal to UNICEF May 31, 2019
Dr. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar, UNICEF Representative in Belarus

On May 31, 2019, I reached out to  Dr. Rashed Mustafa Sarwar, UNICEF Representative in Belarus, and Ms. Gabrielle Akimova, Deputy Representative in Belarus. 

After several weeks, I received an answer from Ms. Gabrielle Akimova, who apologized for the late reply because, as she explained, they had missed my E-mail (!?).

I also sent my Appeal by Ordinary Post to the Headquarters of UNICEF in New York, USA.

UNICEF House
3 United Nations Plaza
New York, New York 10017
U.S.A. 

Excerpts from the Appeal:

Specifically:
– My lawyers and I have sent dozens of letters to Mrs. Trafimovich in good time, informing her when I will be in Belarus in order to allow me to meet my children. Mrs. Trafimovich does not bother to receive most of the letters on purpose sent to her, both by ordinary post and by e-mail.

– For two years now, I have not been able to talk for a single minute alone with my children to see how they feel and what they think without the warning and intimidating look of their mother.

– When my little daughter wants to go to the bathroom, her mother takes with her my elder daughter, not to let her talk to me for a minute.

– On a visit, while I was in my hotel, my little daughter asked to eat a banana. When I got her by her little hand to go to the hotel’s buffet to ask for a banana for my child, Mrs. Trafimovich started to shout at my daughter that if she moved away with me again, she would never bring her and her sister to see me again. The frightened child turned back while crying, and my elder daughter started crying endlessly and screamed out, I want to see Papa again. Mrs. Trafimovich forced Anthie’ into a taxi so I would not have a chance to comfort her and calm her down.

– On another visit, I asked her to let me give my children the gifts I had brought them, and after thousands of excuses, she allowed me to give my children their gifts in the building corridor where they are staying in and allowed me to see them for 10 minutes.

– My children, the few times we met, enthusiastically expressed their joy; they did not want to leave me, and they mocked who would sit closer to me. In fact, my older daughter often objected to her mother and told her that she wanted to see me the other day, and every day. Now, the children, the few times I manage to see them, are reluctant and obedient. They do not occur spontaneously with a free soul. I understand, of course, that they are happy to see me, but I feel they are trying to hold back (as if they have such a command), and every time I ask them about their life or their school, they answer, ‘I do not know!

– My children speak only Russian now, and if sometimes my older daughter speaks to me in Greek, her mother is irritated. Before the Abduction, my elder daughter Anthie’, spoke fluent Greek and Russian language, and some months before, we started to practice the Swedish and English languages as well. I urged Ms. Trafimovich to accept to let our children attend courses in Swedish and Greek language at my own expense, but with a variety of excuses, she avoids answering me! And finally, she has succeeded in making it almost impossible for me to communicate with my children.

All this, and dozens of other things I could mention, clearly show Mrs. Trafimovich’s efforts to cut me out of my children. Is all the above really normal communication of a father with his children?

For two years now, my human and parental rights have been violated, and also, my children’s rights are being violated, and no one is doing anything to help us. I have sent letters everywhere, to the guardianship authorities, the Ministry of Education, and the children’s Kindergarten, asking the psychologist to investigate the psychological and emotional state of my children. Everyone tells me that I have the right to participate in bringing up my children and communicating with them, but no one is doing anything to protect and secure my parental rights and my children’s rights. Their mother does what she wants without ever having any consequences!

I cry for help. At least help my children who are at risk from their mother’s empathetic and reckless attitude. I am sure the children are intimidated and directed. Please do whatever you can, I am a father, and I suffer away from my children. My fight is fair, and I will not stop as long as I live to fight and ask for help.

Nicolaos Cheropoulos
Father of Anthie’ and Alexandra
Stockholm, May 2019
Reviewed Oct. 2023