IN THIS ISSUE:

TWO OPPOSITION ELECTION CAMPAIGN ACTIVISTS ON TRIAL

On March 11, two students, Yevgeny Sinkevich and Igor Sinko, members of the Belarusian Association of Young Politicians, were detained for allegedly collecting signatures in support of Mikhail Chigir, who is running in the May presidential elections organized by the opposition under the 1994 Constitution. However, the police were unable to find any signature sheets. On March 19, the two students stood trial for an alleged violation of the law on elections (Art. 167 of the Belarusian Administrative Code) at the Central District Court in Minsk. (BBC, March 22)

TWO LOCAL OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS JAILED FOR 15 DAYS

On March 22, the Krichev District court (Mogilev region) sentenced two opposition activists to 15-day administrative detention. Mikhail Dolbik, a former judge and head of the local opposition Electoral Commission, and Vasily Alshevski, member of a signature-collection group in support of candidates, were charged with "petty hooliganism" for their alleged use of obscenities at the police station, where they were brought after being arrested at their homes. Their friends say that the real reason for their arrest was participation in preparations for the elections. Dolbik and Alshevski had already received several warnings for organizing a signature campaign. The activists were transferred to the city of Bobruisk to serve their sentences. (Belapan, March 22)

MORE DETAINEES

On March 22, Anatoly Krivorot, secretary of the Belarusian Popular Front Board, reported that several dozen people have been detained for collecting signatures for presidential candidate Zyanon Paznyak. Police confiscated about 40 lists with about 200 signatures for Paznyak, Krivorot said, and added that the police usually release detainees after issuing an indictment. He declined to specify how many signatures had been collected, saying that not all the signature lists had been delivered from the provinces. (Belapan, March 22)

STUDENTS WARNED AGAINST PARTICIPATING IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

On March 22, Mikhail Avlasevich, deputy rector of the Mogilev State University, issued a statement prohibiting students and faculty from participating in the opposition presidential elections. "In violation of the Belarusian constitution, a group of deputies of the 13^th Supreme Soviet has made an illegitimate decision to hold presidential elections on May, 16 1999. Please explain to students and employees of your departments that this action is illegal and warn them that if they participate in this illegal action they may face harsh consequences," reads the statement. A group of students and lecturers of Mogilev State University has been engaged in collecting signatures for presidential candidates Zyanon Paznyak and Mikhail Chigir. The administration of Lukashenko’s alma mater is taking active steps aimed at banning students and lecturers from participating in opposition actions. (BBC, March 24)

OPPOSITION ACTIVIST FINED

On March 18, Aleksey Konopatski, a member of the Malady Front, was tried in Mogilev. He had been detained for collecting signatures in support of Zyanon Paznyak, the leader of the Belarusian Popular Front. Judge Soroka found him guilty of violating the election law (Art. 167 of the Belarusian Administrative Code) and fined him 250,000BR (about $0.7). (Spring 96, March 20)

MEMBERS OF LOCAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION THREATENED

On March 22, all the members of the opposition Electoral Commission of the Mogilev region who work in the Gorky Agricultural Academy were warned by the local administration about their efforts to organize ‘alternative’ presidential elections. The activists, who were threatened with dismissal, were asked to promise that they would not continue their opposition work. (Charter 97, March 24)

POLICE SEIZE DOCUMENTS FROM OPPOSITION PARTY OFFICE

On March 18, police conducted a two-hour warranted search of the Belarusian Popular Front's Mogilev branch’s office, looking for material related to the opposition presidential elections. Armed police officers completely sealed the building during the search. The search was made in connection with the ongoing criminal proceedings initiated against Viktar Hanchar. The officers confiscated election campaign leaflets, blank forms for collecting signatures, and BPF documents. (Belapan, March 20)

ELECTRICITY CUT AT OPPOSITION PARTY OFFICE

On March 17, electricity was cut off at the headquarters of the Belarusian Popular Front in Minsk. The local housing authorities told BPF officials that power had been cut off because the party had failed to pay electricity bills. Although BPF representatives showed documents confirming payment, the power was not turned on. On March 17, power was shut down for several hours at the campaign headquarters of Mikhail Chigir, former Prime Minister, who has registered for the presidential elections in May. (Belapan, March 18)

CHIGIR COLLECTS NECESSARY 100,000 SIGNATURES

On March 24, the electoral headquarters of Mikhail Chigir announced that 100,000 signatures had been collected, as required by Belarusian election laws. (Radio 101.2, March 24)

HANCHAR PLANS TO LET BELARUSIAN CITIZENS ABROAD VOTE

On March 24, Viktar Hanchar, the chairman of the opposition Central Electoral Commission, said that organizing participation by Belarusian citizens abroad in the elections will be the biggest challenge for his Electoral Commission. In the present political situation, the Commission has no opportunity to set up polling stations at Belarusian embassies abroad. Nevertheless, the opposition CEC is planing to resolve this problem by sending its envoys abroad to those locations where there are large Belarusian populations. However, the activities of such envoys must be approved by the authorities of those countries, and this directly depends on their official recognition of the opposition presidential elections. (Radio 101.2, March 24)

LUKASHENKO IS ALSO INVITED

The opposition Central Electoral Commission announced that on March 31 it will hold a ceremony at Oktyabrskaya Hotel in Minsk to register the candidates for the Belarusian presidency. The Commission has invited foreign diplomats, representatives of the UN and OSCE missions in Belarus, observers from human rights organizations, and President Lukashenko personally. (Radio 101.2, March 22)

…TO "POLITICAL PROVOCATION"

At the press conference held on March 23, Alexander Plaskovitsky, the chief of the legal department of the presidential administration, called the efforts to stage a ceremony for registration of candidates for the Belarusian presidency a "political provocation". Plaskovitsky said that participants in the opposition elections "understand well enough that they are not in fact running for any presidency." (Itar-Tass, March 23)

…SAYS OPPOSITION HAS NO SUPPORT

On March 18, during his visit in the Vitebsk region, President Lukashenko said that he is "convinced that the policies pursued today in our state are correct and that they are understood and supported by the overwhelming majority of people." "That is why I realistically assess everything that is going on, and react calmly to all these feeble attempts of the so-called opposition to pull me out of my presidential chair. I don't think it will ever be necessary to talk to them, because it is not even an opposition, but merely a handful of people who need provocations. That is why I don' t interfere or get involved; I am sure our law enforcement agencies will deal with them successfully," he added. (BBC, March 22)

OSCE MISSION DENIES ORGANIZING TALKS

Hanspeter Kleiner, deputy head of the OSCE AMG in Minsk, has denied that the mission proposed any talks between Lukashenko and four opposition figures, as some Belarusian media [and the Belarus Update] reported last week. (Radio 101.2, March 19)

BELARUSIAN MINISTER SPEAKS BEFORE UN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

On March 22, the 55th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights opened in Geneva. Ural Latypov, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Vice-Prime Minister of Belarus, is heading the official Belarusian delegation. Andrei Sannikov, international coordinator of Charter 97, representing the International League for Human Rights, is monitoring the session. On March 18, before leaving for Geneva, Latypov called for better relations with the West, stressing that "the presidential election problems, instigated by the opposition, do not facilitate a trustworthy relationship between Belarus and the West." (Belapan; ILHR March 23)

On March 23, Ural Latypov told the Commission that his country "respects human rights and considers them the foremost obligation of the State," adding that "while there are universal human rights standards, each country faces its own problems." For countries in transition from planned to market economies, the process toward a democratic and open society is extremely complex and requires "careful strategic planning." "The strategy adopted by Belarus involves gradual development, which does include respect for human rights. There have been some setbacks, but Belarus is moving forward, and it is worth noting that the country is one of the few in the post-Soviet region that have not seen a single drop of bloodshed in internal or border conflicts. Our country is a multi-religious state where the freedom of religion is highly respected. It has also become a safe haven for refugees from other states," Latypov continued.

"The Special Rapporteur on the Freedom of Press and Expression visited Belarus last year, and this year the Special Rapporteur on Religious Freedom will pay us a visit. Belarus was always willing to cooperate with the Commission as well as with other international human rights organizations. Belarus benefits greatly from cooperation with European democratic and human rights institutions, considering itself a part of Europe. The human rights issue that needs more attention is environmental damage. For example, the Chernobyl catastrophe still greatly affects the Belarusian population. Open dialogue based on mutual respect and cooperation is the only way to secure human rights in an international settings," Latypov concluded. He reiterated that elections to the Lower House of Representatives in Belarus would be held in 2000, and presidential elections – in 2001.

Not a single word was said about the absence of freedom of press in Belarus, about numerous violations of political and civil rights, about the conflict between the authorities and opposition, about constant violations of the constitution by the executive branch. (M2 Communications, March 24)

AUTHORITIES MOVING TO BLOCK OPPOSITION CAMPAIGN?

Opposition leaders fear a major crackdown is in the works against independent parties involved in the opposition elections. On March 18, Belapan reported that it had obtained a document that purports to outline the government's blueprint for a campaign against opposition nominees and their electoral commission. The document allegedly contains the following points:

"The Ministry of Justice must provide a regularly updated legal analysis of the opposition’s efforts to organize presidential elections in May. The Ministry must also work out recommendations for political and legislative decisions to be made by the country's leadership, and finally, must develop a decree ‘On Countering Political Extremism’ in cooperation with law-enforcement agencies.

"Considering the positions of certain countries and their diplomatic missions which recognize the legitimacy of the 13^th Supreme Soviet and of the opposition presidential elections, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs must issue appropriate statements highlighting the unacceptability of foreign interference in the republic’s internal affairs. In order to reinforce control over the contacts and movements of foreign diplomats on Belarusian territory, the work on a draft presidential decree ‘On Relations Between Diplomatic Missions and the Belarusian Authorities’ should be expedited.

"The KGB must undertake preventive steps against radically-minded leaders and activists of the presidential campaign, especially against the members of the opposition Central Electoral Commission, headed by Viktar Hanchar, and its representatives in the regions. The sources and channels of financial and other material support for these structures should be traced and cut off by the joint efforts of the customs, finance, and tax institutions.

"The Ministry of Industry and local authorities have received recommendations that additional measures should be taken to increase security and internal discipline at important national economic sites; moreover, renting their facilities or making them available for use by the radical opposition should be deemed unacceptable.

"The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology is advised to step up control over the availability of additional telephone lines and the use of current lines at the headquarters of radical political structures.

"In the course of implementing Presidential Decree No. 2 of January 26,1999, the judicial branch must preclude re-registration of radical or extremist public organizations. The KGB must take advantage of the situation in order to weaken or compromise the opposition structures. The National Security Council has to be informed weekly of the results of efforts to maintain a close watch over the activities of the radical opposition’s leadership and over the developments surrounding extremist groups’ activities among workers and young people in order to use the means available to the authorities for blocking anti-constitutional attempts to hold alternative elections." (Belapan, March 18)

UNION OF POLES IN BELARUS WILL NOT BE DISSOLVED

On March 24, the Belarusian Ministry of Justice, which had been analyzing the activities of the Union of Poles in Belarus, found that the union had committed certain minor violations, but they were not able to justify dissolving the organization. The Ministry did not, however, give any specific examples of the alleged violations, while again urging the union’s authorities to observe the law on public organizations. (BBC, March 26)

LUKASHENKO CONDEMNS NATO STRIKES

On March 25, Lukashenko denounced NATO’s military action against Yugoslavia as "blatant aggression," which "has seriously violated the basic principles of international law." In a formal statement, which was broadcast on the state radio, the president stressed that NATO's recent actions shows that member countries of this organization are attempting to grab the power to punish certain nations and ethnic groups. Warning that the NATO's aggression has "directly jeopardized international security," Lukashenko affirmed that Belarus will take concerted measures with Russia and demanded an immediate end to NATO's military attacks on Yugoslavia. (Xinhua, March 25)

NUKES BACK IN BELARUS?

Russia is considering a range of retaliatory measures in response to the NATO’s air-raids in Kosovo. Among the steps being considered is a re-deployment of Russian nuclear warheads in Belarus. (UPI, March 23)

‘NO!’ SAYS OPPOSITION

Most leaders of the Belarusian opposition called for a peaceful solution to the Kosovo conflict and signed the joint Declaration of the Belarusian Democratic Forces. "By not condemning Belgrade's repressive actions against Albanians, Russia in fact backed the operations of Serb troops," the statement said. The opposition protested against any re-deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus. "Hostilities in Kosovo should be neither the pretext nor the cause of an unleashed imperial campaign aimed at deploying nuclear arms in Belarus," the statement says. "We consider such propositions as a gross interference with the internal affairs of an independent state. We demand that Russia stop its nuclear blackmail of Belarus." The Belarusian Popular Front came up with a special statement calling on the U. S. and Britain "to use all means to protect Belarus’s independence, neutrality, and nuclear-free status from Russian assaults". (Itar-Tass, March 25)

--BELARUS HAS NO INTENTIONS TO CHANGE ITS NUCLEAR-FREE STATUS, OFFICIAL SAID

On March 25, Nikolai Borisevich, press secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Belarus, declared that Belarus reiterates commitment to international agreements, according to which it has nuclear-free status. At the same time, Borisevich confirmed that the offer of comprehensive assistance, including military assistance, made by President Lukashenko to Yugoslavia remains in force. (Interfax, March 25)

POLITICALLY MOTIVATED ARRESTS IN BELARUS

On March 9, Congressman Christopher H. Smith, co-chair of the House Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, drew the attention of his colleagues to "the growing litany of repressive measures undertaken by the Government of Belarus against the opposition, especially against members of the opposition's Central Electoral Commission." In particular, he said: "Earlier this year, the 13^th Supreme Soviet, the legitimate Belarusian parliament which was disbanded by President Lukashenko after an illegal constitutional referendum, set a date for the next presidential elections for May 16, 1999, and set up a Central Election Commission to conduct these elections. According to the 1994 Belarusian Constitution, which most of the international community recognizes as legitimate, Lukashenko's term expires this July. Lukashenko has rejected calls for a presidential election and is clearly attempting to neutralize democratic opposition to his authoritarian rule. The most egregious crackdown in recent weeks was the sentencing of the CEC chairman Viktar Hanchar, to 10 days of administrative detention. Gonchar suffered some injuries when he was detained and was treated roughly by police. He was denied legal assistance and his wife was not permitted to see him.

"A few days earlier, on February 25, fifteen members of the CEC were arrested by police in a cafe where they were meeting and discussing reports from local election commissions. Special police did not have a warrant and prevented the videotaping of the arrest by Russian television. Five-day detentions or heavy fines were meted out to several CEC members, including Boris Gyunter, Anatoly Gurinovich, Sergei Obodovsky, Iosif Naumchik, Algimantas Dzyarginchus, Alyaksandr Koktysh, Nikolai Pohabov, Valery Sidorenko and Leonid Zakurdayev. Additionally, warnings have been issued to several members of regional opposition election committees, such as Iosif Naumchik in Vitebsk and Sergei Abadowski in Mogilev. According to Radio Liberty, in Zhodino, Minsk region, local authorities have begun intimidating people who joined or were elected to regional opposition election commissions. In Gomel, several opposition activists have been summoned and questioned about their role in the organization of the May presidential elections scheduled by the opposition. Police have seized leaflets about these elections at the office of the Gomel branch of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee.

"The repression of the opposition's election commissions is part of a longstanding pattern of Lukashenko's assault on democratic institutions and his campaign to stifle dissent in Belarus . On February 14, 20 students were arrested by police in Minsk for violating street demonstration laws. Among them, Yevgeny Skochko was sentenced to 10 days in jail, Victor Antonov to 5 days in jail, and Kazimir Kuchun and Ilya Banel were fined. Other opposition activists in Gomel and Borisov have been tried for unsanctioned demonstrations over the last few months. Two young workers in Gomel, for instance, were sentenced to 3 days administrative detention for holding an unsanctioned march. According to Reuters, the men were returning from a disco late in the evening and waving banners, which they were bringing home to wash.

"Earlier in the month, on February 5, members of the human rights movement Charter '97 were attacked and beaten in Minsk by members of the fascist Russian National Unity party. Andrei Sannikov, the Charter's international coordinator and former deputy foreign minister of Belarus was beaten unconscious. According to the International League for Human Rights a few days later, President Lukashenko trivialized the incident on Belarusian television, saying: "They say that some fascists have appeared in Minsk and have beaten somebody up. Do you know who they have beaten? Other fascists." On February 27, several thousand marchers participated in a peaceful anti-fascist demonstration in Minsk. Organizers of the demonstration, Ales Belyatski who was sentenced to 10 days administrative detention and Oleg Volcheck who was given a stiff fine, were cited for committing administrative offenses.

"In late January, Lukashenko signed a decree ordering political parties, public organizations and trade unions to re-register during the period from February 1 and July 1. The re-registration process includes a variety of onerous stipulations which would have the effect of weakening NGOs and political parties. On February 17, the Lukashenko-controlled State Press Committee threatened six independent newspapers with closure if they continued to publish information about the opposition's presidential election plans in May, charging them with `calling for the seizure of power in Belarus .' On March 2, police searched the offices of one of the six independent newspapers, `Pahonya' in Grodno, confiscating political cartoons and letters from readers.

"Clearly, political tensions are increasing in Belarus , and the divide between the authoritarian president and the democratic opposition is widening. Lukashenko and his minions should cease and desist their campaign to harass journalists, to drain and demoralize individuals and organizations in the opposition through administrative fines and detentions, and to forcefully squelch the right to the freedoms of expression and of assembly. Continued harassment of the opposition will only aggravate the current constitutional crisis in Belarus and most certainly will not serve to promote reconciliation between the government and opposition. Speaker, it is imperative that the international community continue to speak out on behalf of those whose rights are violated, and that we continue to support the restoration of democracy and rule of law in Belarus." (Congressional Record, March 9)

In Belarus Update No. 12, we reprinted an article titled "USAID Sponsors Lukashenko" from "Kiev Post" (March 12, 1999). The claim that U.S. assistance to NGOs in Belarus was in fact winding up in the regime’s pocket provoked a number of comments from readers, all of whom wished to remain off the record. Some defended the existing mechanism for distribution of grants to Belarusian recipients, pointing out that at least some of the funds reached intended grantees, but implied that a policy review may be underway to make the delivery more efficient. The League’s own research indicates that some improvements contemplated may eliminate the implicit financing of the Lukashenko regime by the U.S. government.

Some NGO leaders have told the League that a new distribution procedure has been conceived, whereby funds will be transferred to individuals rather than to organizations' bank accounts. Some knowledgeable observers have advocated this approach to avoid the difficulties and risks of more circuitous routes. However, Belarusian authorities are likely to retaliate against individual account holders by raising fees on such transactions or simply creating other technical obstacles. Currently, individuals already face complications when they withdraw large sums of any type, from a grant or otherwise, due to requirements that the reasons for the withdrawals be cited. Moreover, with the current financial crisis, banks can simply declare that they do not have sufficient cash to grant the request to an individual. Furthermore, in Belarus, personal income taxes are higher than those levied on organizations. In a country where the average salary is $30, a private income of several thousand dollars will be taxed at the highest rate, perhaps 50% or more, which means that the government would still keep the lion’s share of the grant in the end. (Funds for non-profit work are taxed because non-commercial, charitable activity is not adequately protected by law in Belarus.)

One reader disputed the interpretation of the exchange rate issue made by Peter Byrne, cited in the "Kiev Post." But the League found that in the second half of 1999, the gap between the official and market exchange rate, according to the TACIS office in Minsk, reached 350% at the worst times. That is, grant recipients who worked through bank accounts automatically received 4.5 times less money than they would have received had they exchanged the funds on the open market. The League found that after taxes were added in, Byrne’s claim that "all but one of every five or six dollars of U.S. aid money has gone directly to the Belarusian government" -- in these types of official transactions-- was in fact correct. Although the exchange rate has recently improved somewhat, the Belarusian government receives, through exchange rate differentials and taxes, about 2/3 of all grant money piped through bank transfers – an indisputably large amount. Apparently some are willing to face these losses to the Lukashenko regime because alternative means are too risky.

As for the claim of one reader that some NGOs can actually sell their hard currency at rates higher than the official exchange rate, we asked a number of NGOs in Belarus to confirm this statement. They replied that no bank can buy or sell foreign currency at a rate higher than the official rate. The League notes that access to special exchange rates may be available for GONGOs or NGOs cooperating with the government.