To: Alexander Lukashenko
Republic of Belarus
FAX: +375 17 22 60 610

cc: Oleg Bozhelko
Prosecutor-General
FAX: +375 17 22 34 358

November 13, 2000

Dear Mr. Lukashenko,

The International League for Human Rights, an international, non-governmental human rights organization with consultative status at the United Nations, is highly distressed by the Belarusian authorities' crackdown on a peaceful youth protest "Changes!" held in Minsk on November 12. Your government's handling of the protest in which over 100 people were detained makes a mockery of international standards for freedom of the press and association, violates Belarusian laws, and blatantly breaks the promise of the Belarusian delegation to "permit freedom of peaceful assembly" made to the UN's Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights in August 1999.

The League is gravely concerned by the following report on the demonstration:

On November 12, 2000, at 6 p.m., the protest started near the subway station "Academy of Sciences." At 4:30 p.m. the police had already begun arriving at the gathering place and trying to redirect the rally towards the notorious Bangalor square, away from the city center. Refusing to follow this route, 200-300 young protesters began moving towards Yakub Kolas square. Soon the protesters were surrounded by riot police wielding clubs and shields. The police began detaining every protester in sight, including women and children. Those who tried to resist were brutally beaten. The total number of persons detained is one hundred, including Pavel Severinets, the leader of Youth Front. While 30 of the detained persons were immediately released, the rest are awaiting trial at a pre-trial detention center.

The League calls on you to use your good offices to exercise oversight of the police and judiciary and ensure that: 1) those still in detention are released and charges are dropped against those who face trial for participating in the protest; 2) a thorough investigation is made into reports of police brutality during the course of the demonstration and subsequent detentions; 3) immediate legal action against those who may have engaged in police brutality; 4) measures are taken to ensure that citizens are guaranteed their constitutional and internationally-recognized right to engage in peaceful protest actions in the future.

Thank you for your attention. We await your response.

Sincerely,

Catherine Fitzpatrick
Executive Director