March 21, 2006
President Aleksandr Lukashenko
K. Marx Street , 38
Minsk , Belarus 220016
FAX: +375-172-26-06-10
President Lukashenko,
The International League for Human Rights, an international non-governmental organization with special consultative status at the United Nations, is deeply concerned about the mass detention of protestors in Minsk.
On March 20, 2006 approximately 7,000 people gathered in Oktyabrskaya Ploshcad (October Square) to oppose the results of the March 19, 2006 presidential elections. According to local reports, citizens who were traveling to the demonstration were stopped by riot police who checked their identity documents. Over 100 protestors were arrested by state security forces, including several dozen supporters who were bringing sleeping bags and food to the protestors, including opposition leader Aleksandr Milinkevich’s two sons were also detained by the police as they traveled to pick up food for the protestors.
During the morning of March 21, 2006 four men were arrested as they were leaving the square, including Anatoly Lebedko, the head of the United Civil Party (UCP), Alexander Dobrovolsky, a senior UCP official, and Alexei Yanukiyevich, a member of the Belarusian Popular Front group. On March 21, 2006 Anatoly Lebedko and Alexei Yanukiyevich were sentenced to 15 and 12 days of imprisonment, respectively; the whereabouts of Alexander Dobrovolsky are unknown.
Belarus has undertaken commitments to uphold international standards of freedom of expression and assembly as a signatory to agreements such as the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights. These rights are fundamental to a democratic society.
President Lukashenko, the League calls on you to ensure that all Belarusian citizens detained for their participation in the March 20 th and 21 st demonstrations are released immediately and that they are allowed to express their views without fear of reprisals and prosecution.
Thank you for your attention.
Sincerely,
Robert Arsenault
President
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