Belarus Project

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Belarus Updates, 2000
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS BELARUS UPDATE Edited by Victor Cole Vol. 3, No. 31 July 2000 IN THIS ISSUE: -Baturin's Odyssey Continues - Zavadsky's Disappearance - Opposition: Free Referendum vs. Undemocratic Election - U.S. Urges Belarus to Respect Human Rights - OSCE to Improve Prison Conditions in Belarus - PACE Delegation to Visit Belarus - Suppression of Belarusian Language - Opposition Demonstration Banned in Brest Region - Belarus Boosts Cooperation With "One China" - Kremlin: Belarus Back Door for Legislative Initiatives --HUMAN RIGHTS AND OPPOSITION NEWS FORMER POLICE OFFICER FORCED TO RETURN TO MINSK News agencies reported that on July 16, Oleg Baturin, a former senior police officer who had previously broken with the Lukashenko regime, was attacked by two unknown men near a bus terminal in Warsaw, where he had fled into hiding after death threats to himself and his family. Baturin said he was hit several times and was told to return to Minsk immediately under the threat of death. The assailants attached a microphone to his shirt and warned that several people would be watching him all the time. Baturin said that it took him three days to get to Minsk by train via Kiev and Moscow. He tried to escape at a station stop in Ukraine, but another unidentified man, whom he had not previously seen, rushed at him from a car and ordered him to get back into the train and wait for further instructions. Afterward, Baturin said, he was again beaten in the train bathroom and threatened with death if he continued to attempt to flee. When he returned to Minsk, Baturin was ordered to report to a police station at the railroad terminal, and was told he would be taken to the Belarusian state TV for an interview. Baturin said that his assailants wanted him to make false accusations against Belarusian opposition leaders and US diplomats. He was instructed to say that his February confession had been written by Anatoly Lebedko, chair of the opposition United Civic Party, and that he was promised money and political asylum in the United States. (The opposition denied the claims.) He was also told to say that he knew the whereabouts of missing opposition leaders Victor Gonchar and Yury Zakharenko. Baturin reported that when he arrived in Minsk in the morning of July 19, he cut the microphone off his shirt, escaped from the train, and made his way to the US embassy in Minsk. On the basis of Baturin's explanations, the Embassy gave him a temporary shelter. According to the US Embassy in Minsk, U.S. officials then informed the Minsk office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees about Baturin's case. They also notified the Belarusian Foreign Ministry and asked the Belarusian government to guarantee Baturin's safe passage to Poland. Belarusian authorities agreed to ensure Baturin's safety on the condition that he officially renounce the statement that he had been abducted by the Belarusian secret police. Baturin told representatives of the U.S., OSCE and the UN High Commissioner for Refugees that he does not know for certain if the people who abducted him were from the Belarusian security services. Subsequently Baturin made a statement to Belarusian state TV on July 21 claiming that the Belarusian secret police were not involved in his abduction, a statement which the US Embassy confirmed was a precondition for his release. The U.S. ambassador then escorted Baturin in his car to Warsaw. On July 24, the U.S. Embassy in Minsk told Interfax that the local office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, had officially acknowledged refugee status for Baturin in Poland. Local observers have developed various theories to explain the Baturin affair. Some believe Baturin cooperated with the KGB to defame the opposition and distract public attention from ORT cameraman Zavadsky's disappearance. Others believe that Baturin was coerced into travelling to Minsk, possibly with a threat of reprisal against family relatives who remained in the country. Opposition sources continue to maintain that Baturin's original exposures about police manipulation of the Freedom March were true. Commenting on the Baturin's case, Vintsuk Viachorka, chair of the Belarusian Popular Front, told RFE/RL's Belarusian Service that the cases of Oleg Baturin and Dmitry Zavadsky "have certain traits of planned scenarios that in terms of their scale and provocative content exceed those carried out by the regime earlier." On July 25, Moskovskie Novosti published an interview with Baturin in which he reaffirmed that he had been coerced into returning to Minsk by the Belarusian KGB. (Belapan, Interfax, BBC, RFE/RL, Moskovskie Novosti, July 23-27) TOP OFFICIAL CLAIMS KIDNAPPING STAGED BY OPPOSITION Interfax reported on July 22 that Mikhail Myasnikovich, head of the Lukashenko administration, said that the Baturin's "kidnapping" was staged by the opposition "with direct assistance from the foreign sponsors." Claimed Myasnikovich, "The incident demonstrates that the so-called abductions of the opposition politicians in Belarus are simply acts of sabotage staged by the forces opposing the political course pursued by the Belarusian leadership."On July 24, the a Belarusian Foreign Ministry spokesman said the authorities have no evidence that the foreign special services were involved in Baturin's transfer from Warsaw to Minsk. (Interfax, July 22-24) LUKASHENKO ACCUSES ORT OF HIDING INFORMATION ABOUT ZAVADSKY On July 21, Alexander Lukashenko accused ORT, Russia's public television station, of concealing information about Dmitry Zavadsky, ORT cameraman in Belarus who has been missing since July 7 (See Belarus Update Vol. 3, No. 28-30). "Your bosses have a lot to disclose about Zavadsky, believe me," Lukashenko said in an interview to an ORT journalist in Minsk. According to the Belarusian leader, ORT has been asked to pay ransom for Zavadsky's release. Vowing "to wring the necks" of those responsible for the cameraman's disappearance, Lukashenko categorically denied accusations made by Pavel Sheremet, head of special projects at ORT, that Zavadsky was taken by the Belarusian security forcers under his order. Sheremet, in turn, has rejected the Lukashenko's allegation that ORT is concealing any information about the case. He said that all information obtained by ORT was immediately passed onto the Belarusian Transport Prosecutor's Office, which opened a criminal investigation into the disappearance because Zavadsky's car was found in its jurisdiction. Sheremet travelled to Minsk on July 25 with an ORT investigation team to search for his missing colleague in Belarus. Citing unofficial sources, Belapan reported that the Belarusian Prosecutor General intends to open a criminal case against Sheremet for slander. Belarusskaya delovaya gazeta, an independent newspaper, reported on July 26 that Nikolai Koroliuk, head of the Belarusian Transport Prosecutor's Office, promised to solve the mystery of Zavadsky's disappearance in the nearest future. (Belapan, Belarusskaya delovaya gazeta, July 24-26) ORT REFUTES ACCUSATIONS On July 25, Konstantin Ernst, director of ORT, issued a statement refuting the Lukashenko's allegations that ORT withheld certain information concerning Zavadsky's disappearance. Ernst said that a ransom offer had indeed made to him recently but a probe by the Main Directorate of the Russian Interior Ministry established that the phone call was made by a copy-cat extortionist already known to police who in fact is unrelated to the case. The ORT director added that he had kept the information secret at the request of the police so as not to impede the investigation. (BBC, Russian wires, July 27) OPPOSITION TO BOYCOTT VOTE, HOLD NATIONWIDE REFERENDUM On July 24, the united Belarusian opposition said it will not take part in the upcoming parliamentary election set by Alexander Lukashenko for October 15. Seven anti-Lukashenko parties, including the United Civic Party, BPF Adradzhenne, Belarusian Social Democratic Party, Belarusian Women's Party, Belarusian Labor Party, Congress of Democratic Trade Unions, and the Association of NGOs voted to boycott the election because the regime had failed to create conditions for free and fair democratic elections in the country. "As a result of our meeting today, the country's leading opposition parties have decided not to participate in the election, which we fear will be heavily weighted in the government's favor," Anatoly Lebedko, chair of the United Civic Party, told journalists in Minsk. "The legislation governing the elections does not confirm to international standards and allows the government to easily falsify the results," he added, "all this makes our participation senseless." Lebedko said that the opposition might still change its decision provided the government fulfills its promises to amend the Electoral Code, ensure actual separation of power, give the opposition access to mass media, and respect the freedom of assembly and speech. Lebedko announced that the opposition plans to hold a nationwide referendum as a counterbalance to the ongoing election campaign in Belarus. The four above-mentioned conditions will provide the basis for the referendum's questions. The opposition also plans to invite to the country Lech Walesa, former Polish President, Margaret Thatcher, former British Prime Minister, and other well-known politicians, to organize a round table with Russian politicians, and stage a number of street protest and meetings, Lebedko said. (Belapan, July 24) PRO-LUKASHENKO PARTIES HOLD ROUND TABLE ON ELECTION On July 25, at a round table of the so-called "nation-wide political dialogue," initiated by the Lukashenko administration and boycotted by the democratic opposition, representatives of the pro-Lukashenko leftist parties confirmed their participation in the forthcoming election and slammed the opposition for "stubborn unwillingness to find common ground with the government." Sergei Kalyakin, leader of the Belarusian Communist Party, surprised the gathering by admitting that the current political situation in Belarus does not provide for a democratic ballot. "Generally speaking, today's atmosphere in society is that of fear and repression of dissent by the authorities in the country," Kalyakin said, adding that nonetheless his party will participate in the election. Commenting on the opposition's decision not to participate in the round table, UCP Chair Anatoly Lebedko said that the opposition welcomed the authorities' initiative but chose not to participate in a meeting that is not broadcast live by the Belarusian state TV, "given many instances of distortion by the state media of the positions of opposition parties, the biased reporting, and the authorities' recently launched campaign of discreditation of opposition political parties and NGOs." (Belapan, July 25) U.S. URGES BELARUS TO RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS On July 27, the United States marked the 10th anniversary of Belarus's declaration of sovereignty from the Soviet Union by urging the government to "realize the dream of a democratic and independent country," reported Reuters. "Ten years later much remains to be done to realize the dream of a democratic and independent Belarus in which the rights of all citizens are respected, and which is part of the international community," the White House said in a statement. The United States called on the Lukashenko administration to take all the necessary steps to hold free and fair elections, beginning with parliamentary election in the fall. "The United States also calls on the Belarusian authorities to fulfil promptly the four conditions set out by the OSCE as a basis for sending international observers to the parliamentary elections," it said. The conditions include respect for human rights, allowing the democratic opposition access to the state media, the creation of a democratic electoral code and separation of powers. "We know that the spirit of the Declaration of State Sovereignty is alive among the people of Belarus," the White House said in the statement. (Reuters, July 28) OSCE TO IMPROVE PRISON CONDITIONS IN BELARUS On July 25, Ambassador Hans-Georg Wieck, head of the OSCE AMG in Belarus, issued a press release describing a four-part project aimed at improving prison conditions in Belarus. The project is one of seven in the area of democratization and human rights being undertaken by the Group in Belarus, Wieck said. Following is the text of the press release: "The OSCE AMG in Belarus is currently implementing seven projects in the fields of democratization and human rights in Belarus funded by the European Commission and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights in Warsaw. "One of the projects is directly related to the assistance to the penitentiary system of Belarus. This project envisages four stages, namely 1) experts assessment of the sanitary and health conditions in prisons, 2) holding of training seminars for prison managers about EU/OSCE prison management guidelines, 3) assistance to the prisons which are in the most difficult situation, and finally 4) a study tour for Belarusian prison managers to Poland for familiarization with prison management guidelines applied in that country. All of our activities within this project are closely coordinated with the Belarusian Punishment Execution Committee. "The dissemination of books is our first input into the program. All 37 prisons and pre-trial detention facilities will receive nearly 3,000 books. We hope that our contribution will help the inmates to widen their knowledge and to spend their time in prison with some benefit. Our partner for this action is the Belarusian NGO called "Helping Hand" who are just starting their country-wide activity on assisting prisons in Belarus. We also hope to attract the attention of the general public and the authorities to such action and to co-operate where possible." (OSCE, July 25) PACE DELEGATION TO VISIT BELARUS On July 31-August 4, a delegation from the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) will pay an official visit to Belarus in order to evaluate the current political situation in the country, particularly, the progress made to put in place conditions necessary for holding democratic parliamentary elections. PACE is following up recommendation adopted in January this year, stressing that the democratic legitimacy of Belarusian institutions could only be restored through internationally recognized democratic elections. The delegation includes Terry Davis, chair of the Assembly's Political Affairs Committee; Wolfgang Behrendt, Political Affairs Committee Rapporteur on Belarus; and Cyril Svaboda, Human Rights and Legal Affairs Committee Rapporteur. The delegation will meet with representatives of the democratic opposition, governmental officials, media, trade unions, and civil society of Belarus. The delegation requested meetings with prisoners of conscience, Vladimir Koudinov and Andrei Klimov. Discussions will also be held with the OSCE AMG in Belarus, the Coordination Committee for Non-Governmental Election Observation and ambassadors of the Council of Europe member States. [The Belarusian Parliament was granted special guest status with the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly on September 16, 1992, as part of the procedure for the country's admission to the Organization. Following the November 1996 referendum on constitutional changes in Belarus, this status was suspended in January 1997 and the admission procedure was also subsequently suspended. In January 2000, the Assembly decided that there could be no change regarding the country's suspended status.- Ed.] (PACE, July 26) BELARUSIAN LANGUAGE SOCIETY WARNED BY AUTHORITIES Viasna Human Rights Center reported on July 20 that the Francisk Skaryna Belarusian Language Society received a written warning from the Ministry of Justice for violating Art. 4, 12 of the Belarusian Law on Public Associations. First, the Ministry charged that Society's letterhead contains the name different from the one specified in its by-laws. Second, the warning alleged that the organization's seal contains unregistered symbols. In particular, the Ministry objected to the usage of the word "republican" in the organization's name, although the letterhead containing this word was earlier registered by the Ministry. The seal was also registered at that time without any comments and it is not clear why the authorities are now finding violations where they had not before. The Society was warned that if it receives another warning this year it will face liquidation. [The Lukashenko regime has paid little attention to the development of the Belarusian language in the past few years. Under the guise of consolidating the nation, the regime has curtailed and belittled the Belarusian language.. Pupils studying in classes with instruction in Belarusian have been transferred to classes with instruction in Russian and people speaking Belarusian are subject to discrimination.- Ed.] (Viasna Human Rights Center, July 20) KGB OFFICER BRAINWASHES STUDENTS IN ORSHA Sergei Matsiukhin, chair of the Orsha directorate of the Belarusian State Security Council (KGB), held a meeting with second-year students of the Orsha vocational training school, reported Viasna Human Rights Center. Matsiukhin told the students about the KGB's "glorious" history, the planting of spies in Belarus by foreign intelligence services in Belarus, and asked if there were any members of NGOs among them. The officer warned the students about the danger NGOs create to the state security and told them that they are "too young to realize that there are many ways the KGB could influence their lives." After the meeting, Matsiukhin gave out his business cards and told the students to "feel free to contact him in case they posses some information about someone's inappropriate activities." (Viasna Human Rights Center, July 20) OPPOSITION DEMONSTRATION BANNED IN BREST REGION BPF Press service reported that the local authorities in Bereza, Brest Region, banned a demonstration organized by the local branch of the Belarusian Popular Front and scheduled for July 27, on the pretext that it will threaten public safety. The opposition activists planned to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Belarus's declaration of sovereignty from the Soviet Union, protest against the deterioration of living conditions in the country, and demand timely payment of wages and better labor conditions. (BPF Press service, July 24) AT HOME IN BELARUS STATE BROADCASTING COMPANY GETS NEW CHIEF Belarusskaya delovaya gazeta reported on July 29 that Victor Chikin, deputy chair of the Minsk City Council and first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Belarus, was appointed chief of the Belarusian State Television and Radio Company. As Minsk's deputy mayor, Chikin became notorious for banning many opposition rallies in the capital. "Chikin's appointment shows that in light of the forthcoming election, the Lukashenko regime is not going to loosen its grip and plans to escalate vicious propaganda against country's democratic opposition," BPF leader Vintsuk Viachorka commented. "The appointment of the man who banned rallies and let dogs loose on demonstrators is another proof that Lukashenko wants unlimited power and will continue to lie through the mass media," Belarusian filmmaker Vladimir Khalip said. Alexander Zimovsky, host of Resonance, a news commentary program produced by the Belarusian State Television, known for his harsh commentary about opposition leaders and his tendentious statements on the program, and Yegor Rybakov, former director of the Gomel Regional TV, were appointed Chikin's deputies. (Belarusskaya delovaya gazeta, July 29) BELARUS, CHINA TO BOOST COOPERATION Belarusskaya delovaya gazeta reported on July 27 that Alexander Lukashenko announced that as a result of his successful talks with a top-level Chinese delegation led by Hu Jintao, Chinese Vice President, and due to Russian President Vladimir Putin's recent visit to China, the Beijing-Moscow-Minsk-Western Europe corridor will soon become a reality. The two leaders expressed their willingness to expand and deepen economic and trade cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefit, pledging to uplift trade to the level "compatible with their current friendly ties and economic potentials." Hu Jintao expressed deep "respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Belarus" and strongly opposed "any interference in the internal affairs of Belarus by any other country under any pretext and by exerting political and economic pressure." In return, Lukashenko reaffirmed that there is only one China in the world, the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legitimate body representing the whole China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China. It expressed support for China's principled stance on opposition to any attempt to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan." Lukashenko vowed that it will never establish official ties with Taiwan in any forms and promise to pay a visit to China next year. (Belarusskaya delovaya gazeta, July 27) -BROTHER SLAVS- KREMLIN'S POWER WILL BE REINFORCED BY BELARUS Izvestia reported on July 24 that just before the Russian State Duma closed this year's last session, President Vladimir Putin submitted a draft law on elections to the House of Representatives, the legislative body for the Russia-Belarus Union. A memo attached to the document says that the law on elections to the Union parliament is "at variance" with laws regulating elections to the Russian Duma and noted "the need to formulate uniform legal approaches to the organization and holding of elections" that would be applicable both to Russia and Belarus. Many of the "differences" are in fact reflected in Kremlin proposals to reform the Russian electoral system rejected by the Duma a long time ago. However, this time Duma deputies are being asked to approve them so that they could be applied to the Union parliament which is then expected to pass a Union law based on the Kremlin's proposals. Basically, the Union law differs from corresponding Russian legislation in that parties and blocs may put forward their candidates for the Union parliament, but cannot take direct part in elections as such, with party lists. In other words, there is no "party ticket," and it is impossible for party members unknown to the electorate to lay claim to seats in parliament. (Such a system can discriminate against small opposition parties--Ed). District electoral commissions can be formed by electoral commissions at a higher level but not by local authorities. As a consolation, political parties will have the right to send one representative to the commissions. There are also provisions for a new breakdown of constituencies: subjects of the Federation with a population of less than 1.5 million will unite with their neighbors. Parties which have lost elections to the Duma and failed to refund the money given by the state for propaganda purposes are not allowed to take part in elections. The newspaper observes that most of these innovations have at one time or another been discussed and rejected by Duma. (Izvestia, July 24) --CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS-- July 29 - the All-Belarusian Congress to hold its first session on in Minsk July 31-August 4 - a delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) to visit Belarus ********************************************************************** The Belarus Update is a regular news bulletin of the Belarus Human Rights Support Project of the International League for Human Rights. The League, now in its 59th year, is New York-based human rights NGO in consultative status with the United Nations and ILO. The Belarus project was established to support Belarusian citizens in making their cases before the U.S. government and public and international fora and intergovernmental organizations regarding Alexander Lukashenko's wholesale assault on human rights and the rule of law in Belarus. For more information e-mail belarus@ilhr.org or call (212) 661-0480 or fax (212) 684-1696 or visit our web site at www.ilhr.org Back**