To: Alexander Lukashenko
Republic of Belarus
FAX: 011 375 172 26 06 10

March 21, 2001

Dear Mr. Lukashenko,

The International League for Human Rights, an international, non-governmental human rights organization with consultative status at the United Nations, is writing to express deep concern about the court's decision to sentence Valery Schukin, a 13th Supreme Soviet Deputy and an independent journalist, to three months in prison on charges of "malicious hooliganism" under Article 339 of the Penal Code.

On January 16, 2001, Schukin was turned away from a press conference held by Vladimir Naumov, Belarussian Interior Minister. Despite Schukin's press credentials and the Law On Press and Other Media, which allows free access to such press-conferences to all journalists, police spokesman Bykov said the event was open only to state-run media. The police then detained Schukin at the entrance to the building where the press- conference was to take place, knocked him to the ground, and twisted his arms behind his back. While trying to subdue Schukin, the policemen accidentally broke the entrance door, made of glass. As a result, Schukin sustained several deep lacerations. According to eye-witnesses, Schukin lost a significant amount of blood during the twenty minute interval before the ambulance arrived, and lay on the ground while the policemen continued holding his arms.

Shchukin is noted as a selfless and tireless campaigner for human rights who has endured many sacrifices, including prison detention, for his efforts to defend civil liberties in Belarus. He is a recognized and credentialled journalist for a number of independent publications. For the past four years, the government has targeted Shchukin on numerous occasions for his active stance against the blanket suppression of basic rights and freedoms in Belarus. These attacks culminated on April 24, 2000, when the trial opened of Schukin and Nikolai Statkevich, chair of the Belarusian Social-Democratic Party (Narodnaya Gromada) for their participation in the Freedom March. Both men pled not guilty. On June 19, 2000, Judge Igor Krot of the Minsk City Court sentenced Shchukin to a one-year suspended term under Art. 168, par. 3, of the Belarusian Criminal Code.

The League joined the international community in its strong condemnation of the sentences, considering them to be politically motivated and designed to discourage opposition campaigning before the October 2000 parliamentary elections. The League believes that the sentence handed down to Shchukin is an attack on internationally recognized press freedoms.

Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights provides the right "to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." In a democratic society, reporters accredited with independent, non-state publications are permitted to cover press conferences held by state officials. The League has long been disturbed by your administration's systematic crackdown against independent journalists and all persons critical of your government's policies. We urge you to take steps to improve the media climate in your country and to ensure that the rights of independent journalists are guaranteed. We also call on you to drop all criminal charges against Valery Shchukin, a deputy of the 13th Supreme Soviet, Belarus' only legitimately elected parliament.

Thank you for your attention. We await your comments.

Sincerely,

Catherine Fitzpatrick
Executive Director

Cc: Amb.Kozak
FAX: +375 172 34 78 53

Amb. Hans-Georg Wieck
FAX: +375 172 72 34 98