 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
ILHR
823 UN Plaza Suite 717
New York, NY 10017
Tel: 212-661-0480
Fax: 212-661-0416
info@ilhr.org
|
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
Belarus Updates, 2000
|
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS BELARUS UPDATE
Edited by Victor Cole
Vol. 3, No. 40 September 2000
IN THIS ISSUE:
- Pre-Election Political Harassment Intensifies
- Rejected
Candidates Don't Find Solace in Supreme Court
- Minsk City Council Authorizes
Freedom March-3 - U.S. Criticizes Election Conditions in Belarus
- Russia
Will Send Election Observers
- Chief Of Administration Resigns
- New Interior
Minister Appointed
--HUMAN RIGHTS AND OPPOSITION NEWS CHRONICLE OF MASS DETENTIONS, FINES, AND
HARASSMENT OF OPPOSITION
On September 20, Brest police detained opposition
activist Sergei Grin for passing out election boycott leaflets. He was accused
of violating public sanitation regulations and brought to the police station,
reported Viasna Human Rights Center. A police report was filed on him.
On September 23, four activists of the Malady Front were arrested near P.S.143
on Yakubova Street in Minsk while pasting to the wall a placard calling for the
boycott of the October 15 election, reported BPF Adradzhenne press service. Two
law-enforcers searched the boys, and took them to the Leninski District
Department of Internal Affairs, where a protocol was filed on them. The
activists were accused of violating public sanitation regulations and the
electoral legislation. The law-enforcers repeatedly assaulted the youth for
wearing the BPF symbols and threatened them to "stomp their boots on their
faces."
Viasna Human Rights Center reported that on September 24 the police in
Bobruisk, Minsk Region, detained four teenagers for pasting "Boycott-2000" and
"Freedom March-3" leaflets and confiscated all printed materials. They were
charged with an administrative offense and brought to a local police precinct.
Officers threatened the youth with expulsion from high school. After receiving
these threats, three minors were released; 18-year-old Eduard Grynevetsky was
forced to write a statement explaining his actions. A police report was filed on
him. After three hours the opposition activist was set free after receiving an
admonition that he might soon get a summons to court.
On September 24, Anastasia Nekazakova, Yuri Shulgan, Stanislav Pachobut, Olga
Martynenko, all members of the Federation of Belarusian anarchists, along with
Vladimir Shlapak, a photo correspondent of Nasha Svaboda, an independent
newspaper, were heavily beaten by the police in Minsk, reported Viasna Human
Rights Center. In gross violation of Art. 3 of the Belarusian Law on Press and
despite the fact that Shlapak identified himself, the law-enforcers searched
him, smashed his camera and destroyed a video tape. Nekazakova, Shulgan,
Pachobut, and Martynenko were forcefully transported to the police station.
Martynenko, a minor, was soon released, while other detainees spent a night at a
precinct lock-up. On September 25, the activists stood trial and were fined 2
minimal wages (about $5) each for "petty hooliganism" under Art. 156 of the
Belarusian Administrative Code.
On September 25, Sergei Yarats, a member of the United Civic Party, was arrested
in the vicinity of the Komarovsky Market in Minsk while passing out free copies
of Nasha Svaboda and Narodnaya Volya, reported Charter 97. The activist was
charged with alleged "violation of the election legislation" under Art. 167,
para 3 of the Belarusian Administrative Code. His trial has been postponed until
October 3.
On September 25, the Slutsk City Court reprimanded Alexander Kotlyarov, chair of
the Slutsk branch of the United Civic Party, who was arrested on September 15 at
a meeting with voters in downtown Slutsk, Minsk Region, for alleged "violation
of the election legislation" under Art. 167, para 3 of the Belarusian
Administrative Code, reported Viasna Human Rights Center. The activist dismissed
the charges as groundless, saying that he had submitted a written notice about
the meeting to the district election committee and the Slutsk Department of
Internal Affairs in advance.
On September 25, the Partizanski District Court of Minsk announced its ruling on
the cases of Yuri Khadyka, Popular Front (BPF Adradzhenne) deputy chair, as well
as Reshetnikova and Rabkevich, both BPF Adradzhenne members. The Court fined
Khadyka two minimal wages (about $2) and Rabkevich one (about $1) minimal wage
for "violation of the electoral legislation" under Art. 167, para 3 of the
Belarusian Administrative Code. Elena Reshetnikova was acquitted. The trial of
Romanov has been postponed. On September 21, at the intersection of Skaryna and
Varvasheni Streets in Minsk, they were detained by the police along with Ales
Beliatsky, BPF deputy chair and head of Viasna Human Rights Center, Sergei
Shinkevich, Sergei Mohnov, Valentin Stefanovich, and Romanov, while holding a
meeting with voters and passing out special issues of Rabochy, Nasha Svaboda,
and Narodnaya Volya, independent newspapers, and leaflets, containing calls to
boycott this fall's parliamentary election (See Belarus Update Vol. 3, No. 39).
[On September 22, Belyatsky and Shinkevich were fined 5,000 BYR (about $5)
each.-Ed.].
On September 25, activists of the BPF Adradzhenne held a meeting with voters
near Vostok subway station in Minsk, which was videotaped by the police,
reported BPF press service. Next day, the organizers of the meeting were
summoned to the Sovetsky District Internal Affairs Directorate (police) for
"explanations."
Alexander Dvigun, a member of BPF Adradzhenne, was detained by police during a
meeting with voters at the Spartak stadium in the outskirts of Minsk while
passing out a special issue of Rabochy, reported BPF press service. He was
forcefully transported to the Oktyabrsky District Internal Affairs Directorate,
charged with "violation of the electoral legislation" under Art. 167, para 3 of
the Belarusian Administrative Code, and released after a few hours.
On September 26, Ales Pikul, chair of the Baranovichi branch of the BPF
Adradzhenne, Ales Grytsevets, and Ruslan Rovyak, BPF Adradzhenne members, were
arrested while pasting leaflets about the opposition-staged Freedom March-3,
reported BPF press service. The activists were taken to the police station,
where a protocol was filed on them.
On the same day, Artur Ganko, chair of the Lida branch of the Malady Front, and
Yury Voitikov, a member of the organization, were detained by the police during
a meeting with workers of the Optic Plant in Lida, Minsk Region. The activists
were taken to the police station and charged with "violation of the electoral
legislation" under Art. 167, para 3 of the Belarusian Administrative Code. The
police confiscated special issues of Rabochy and Golas Lidy (Lida's Voice).
BPF Adradzhenne press service reported that on September 27, at the intersection
of Skaryna Avenue and Varvasheni Street in Minsk, Vladimir Kishkurny and Lyavon
Sadowsky, both BPF activists, were detained by the police while holding a
meeting with voters and passing out a special issues of Rabochy, Nasha Svaboda,
and Narodnaya Volya, independent newspapers, and leaflets, containing calls to
boycott this fall parliamentary election. They were accused of "violation of
the electoral legislation" and taken to the Centralny District Internal Affairs
Directorate, where a protocol was filed on them. The activists are to stand
trial.
On the same day, Natalya Emelyanovich, Valentina Baranova, and Valentina
Shcherbina, were detained by two policemen at the Victory Square metro station
in Minsk while passing out the leaflets calling on Belarusian citizens to take
part in the Freedom March-3 and holding a banner "Say No to Unfair Elections!"
{"Unfair" in Belarusian, lukavye, also connotes deception or crookedness, and
has a similarity in sound to the syllable in the name "Lukashenko."--Eds.) The
law-enforcers brought the girls to the nearest police station and confiscated
the leaflets. The activists were released after about half an hour.
On September 26, Nikolai Ogorodnikov, a member of the Grodno branch of the BPF
Adradzhenne, and his friend were detained in Baranovichi, Minsk Region, after
posting one "Boycott-2000" leaflet on a lamp post. The police searched their
car, took them to the Sovetsky District Internal Affairs Directorate and after a
short interrogation, placed them for two and a half hours in a very cold
precinct jail cell. Then, the activists were questioned again and sent back to
the pen for three more hours. After that, the activists were videotaped by
Belarusian State TV and released. They are to stand trial soon.
On September 27, without a search warrant, eight policemen broke into the
headquarters of the Lida branch of the Francisk Skaryna Belarusian Language
Society and confiscated all the copies of "Boycott-2000" leaflets, reported BPF
Adradzhenne.
Anatoly Poplavny, leader of the Belarusian Free Trade Union at the Gomel
Electric Appliances Factory, was fined ten minimal wages (about $10) for
"violation of the electoral legislation" under Art. 167, para 3 of the
Belarusian Administrative Code, reported Charter 97. The court's ruling was
based on a protocol filed by the local electoral commission, which stated that
the trade union leader "held copies of a special issue of Rabochy in his car
with a clear intention to pass them out to voters." [sic] The police was also
ordered by the court to confiscate 12,000 copies of the newspaper's edition with
information about the boycott.
Viasna Human Rights Center reported that on September 27 opposition activists
Marina Sinitsyna, Sergei Karbovski, Sergei Shinkevich, and Valery Zherbin, stood
trial in Minsk. On September 15, the first day of the election campaign, in
compliance with Art. 45 of the Belarusian Electoral Code, by which citizens are
allowed to agitate for or against the registered candidates, they held a public
meeting with voters, calling on Belarusian citizens to boycott the October 15
election. They were immediately arrested and brought to the police station for
distributing opposition printed materials. The policemen who testified in the
court were surprised to learn that such gatherings are not prohibited by
election legislation: the organizers only have to submit the proper applications
to the District Departments of Internal Affairs, informing the authorities about
the time and place of the meetings.
Interfax reported on September 29 that during the month of September the Minsk
police detained more than 100 people for publicly calling for the boycott of the
parliamentary election. "It is not true that detainees have been beaten by the
police, since none of them has submitted any medical report of bodily injuries
to court," a representative of the Belarusian Interior Ministry assured
Interfax. (Viasna, Charter 97, BPF Adradzhenne press service, Interfax,
September 25-29)
OPPOSITION HOLDS MORE MEETINGS WITH VOTERS
On September 25-29, the democratic
opposition continued to hold meetings with voters in Minsk capital and regional
centers, passing out special issues of Rabochy, Nasha Svaboda, and Narodnaya
Volya, independent newspapers, devoted to the opposition-staged boycott campaign
of the October 15 election. The meetings organizers also collected signatures to
initiate a nationwide referendum in support of the four requirements established
by the OSCE for a free and democratic vote in Belarus. Although the meetings
were organized in compliance with the Belarusian Electoral code, which only
requires a written notification submitted to the local authorities prior to the
meeting, many of them were forcefully disrupted by the police.
SUPREME COURT
REJECTS APPEALS FILED BY UNREGISTERED CANDIDATES
Belarusskaya delovaya gazeta,
an independent newspaper, reported on September 28 that the Belarusian Supreme
Court upheld most of the decisions not to register certain opposition candidates
made by district election commissions. The court's press office announced that
59 out of 63 appeals had been rejected. The most common reasons for denial were
invalid signatures in registration lists or inaccuracies in income and property
statements. (BDG, September 28)
MINSK CITY COUNCIL AUTHORIZES FREEDOM MARCH-3
Nasha Svaboda, an independent
newspaper, reported that on September 25 the Minsk City Council granted a permit
for Freedom March-3, scheduled for October 1. The demonstrators plan to gather
at noon near the National Academy of Science in Minsk then to march along
Skaryna Avenue toward Bangalore Square to stage a meeting under the slogan "Yes
to Election, No to Farce!" against the Lukashenko regime, which failed to meet
even minimal international conditions for the upcoming election and improve the
country's poor human rights record, to ensure a sufficient degree of
transparency of the election process, to provide a fair access of political
parties to the state-controlled media, to establish actual separation of powers,
and to observe a "period of peace" in the run-up to the elections, meaning the
lifting of restrictions against opposition figures and putting an end to
harassment and persecution for political reasons. (Nasha Svaboda, September 29)
FREEDOM MARCH: REGIME MUST AVOID REPEAT OF LAST YEAR'S CRACK-DOWN
There should
be no repeat of last October's violent crack-down against Freedom March
demonstrators during the Freedom March-3 pro-democracy protest in Minsk, Amnesty
International said on September 28 in an appeal to the Belarusian government and
law enforcement agencies. Following is the text of the appeal:
"The large-scale arbitrary arrests and police ill-treatment of peaceful
demonstrators during the Freedom March on October 17, 1999, should be avoided at
all costs, during which there were reportedly over 200 arrests. In one incident
11 detainees were repeatedly kicked, punched, beaten with truncheons and forced
to the floor of the police bus in which they were being transferred to a holding
center [See Belarus Update Vol. 2, No. 42, 43]. One female detainee, a mother of
three, alleged she was verbally abused and threatened with rape. Several of the
detainees who subsequently brought official complaints against the police
officers were reportedly later subjected to harassment and intimidation. [During
another the most recent large-scale demonstration on March 25, 2000, marking the
founding of the Belarus People's Republic in 1918, which was crushed within
months by the Bolsheviks (See Belarus Update Vol. 3, No. 13, 14, special issue),
the regime brutally broke up a peaceful opposition rally, arresting 300-500
people, many of whom were beaten and detained for several hours by the police.
At least 30 journalists and covering the demonstration and a number of prominent
human rights activists were also deliberately targeted by the authorities.-
Ed].
"Thousands of Belarusians will take to the streets to peacefully protest
the unpopular presidency of Alexander Lukashenko and the continued violations of
human rights in Minsk on October 1 during the Freedom March-3 demonstration. The
authorities should ensure that no one will be ill-treated or imprisoned by the
police simply for their political beliefs and for peacefully exercising their
right to freedom of assembly. Peaceful assembly is a fundamental human right and
is enshrined in international law. Amnesty International will consider any
demonstrators who are detained for their peaceful protests as prisoners of
conscience." (AI, September 28) U.S. AMBASSADOR TO OSCE CRITICIZES ELECTION
CONDITIONS IN BELARUS On September 28, David T. Johnson, U.S. Ambassador to the
OSCE, pointed at the recent deterioration of conditions for the forthcoming
parliamentary election in Belarus. Pertinent excerpts from his statement follow:
"We should once again to review the situation in Belarus in light of the recent
reports submitted by the OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group (AMG). The reports
note that 'extremely detailed requirements' made it easy for local electoral
commissions to reject candidates. To date, 216 of 700, that is over 25 percent,
have been denied registration. Only 23 of 180 complaints submitted to the
Central Electoral Commission, were resolved in favor of the rejected candidates.
Only 17 out of 30 candidates associated with the Belarusian Social Democratic
Party have been registered, which made Nikolai Statkevich, the party chair, to
announce his possible withdrawal from the election." [Belapan reported on
September 28 that Statkevich told a press conference in Minsk that he is
determined to run for the parliament this fall. He added that the rejected
candidates from the Belarusian Social Democratic Party supported this decision
unanimously.]
"The Belarusian Government seeks participation of the opposition in the
elections, hoping to create the aura of legitimacy. But instead of establishing
conditions that would attract opposition candidates, authorities have resorted
to threats. In a press conference on September 22, Lydia Yermoshina, Chair of
the Central Commission for Elections and National Referenda, threatened that if
Statkevich withdrew he would have to pay yet-to-be-determined costs to the
Commission and could lose the right to run for 4 years. In addition, the
authorities continue to arrest and prosecute boycott campaigners on the basis of
the Administrative Code, notwithstanding the promises which have been made by
senior Belarusian officials in this very room. Calling the boycott an
'anti-government agitation', Yermoshina herself defended the arrests." (USIA,
Belapan, September 29)
CSCE: CLIMATE OF FEAR IN BELARUS On September 28, Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell
(R-CO), Co-Chair of the Helsinki Commission of the U.S. Congress, informed his
colleagues about the current situation in Belarus. Following is the text of his
statement:
"A Belarusian parliamentary election are scheduled for October 15 and,
unfortunately, the present political conditions in the country do not meet the
basic requirements, outlined by the OSCE, to ensure a free and democratic
election. Many international observers have concluded that the Belarusian
government has not made real progress in fulfilling the four OSCE criteria for
recognition of the elections: respect for human rights and an end to the climate
of fear; opposition access to the state media; a democratic electoral code; and
the granting of real power to the future parliament."
"Instead, the Helsinki Commission observes that in recent days the Lukashenko
regime has launched a campaign of intensified harassment directed against
opposition members. We have received reports that just last week, Anatoly
Lebedko, leader of the United Civic Party, whom many of my colleagues met when
he visited the Senate last year, was roughed up by police after attending an
ceremony marking the first anniversary of the disappearance of Victor Gonchar, a
leading member of the democratic opposition, and his associate, Anatoly
Krasovsky. And just a few days ago, we were informed that request for air time
on the Belarusian television made by Vintsuk Viachorka, chair of BPF
Adradzhenne, to explain why the opposition is boycotting the parliamentary
elections was met with a hateful, disparaging diatribe on the Panorama, main
newscast."
"This is only the tip of the iceberg. The Helsinki Commission is also receiving
reports about detentions, fines, and instances of beatings of opposition
activists who campaign for the boycott of the elections by distributing leaflets
or other literature or holding meetings with voters. In recent weeks, we have
also been informed of the refusal to register many opposition candidates on
dubious grounds; the seizure of over 100,000 copies of 'Rabochy', independent
trade union newspaper; forceful disruptions of public meetings with
representatives of the opposition; an apparent burglary of the headquarters of
the Social Democratic Party; a ban of the First Festival of Independent Press in
Vitebsk, and recent 'reminder letters' by the State Committee on Press for
independent newspapers to re-register.
"Mr. President, Belarusian opposition parties supporting the boycott have
received permission to stage the Freedom March-3 on October 1. At a number of
past demonstrations, police have detained, harassed, and beaten participants.
Those in Congress who are following developments in Belarus are hopeful that the
forthcoming demonstration will take place peacefully, that authorities do not
limit the rights of Belarusian citizens to freedom of association and assembly,
and that the Government of Belarus will refrain from acts of repression against
the opposition and others who openly advocate for a boycott of these elections.
The Helsinki Commission continue to monitor closely the events surrounding these
elections and we will keep the full Senate apprized of developments in the
ongoing struggle for democracy in Belarus." (Congressional Record, September 28)
US SECRETARY OF STATE: ELECTIONS IN BELARUS WILL NOT BE FAIR
On September 27,
speaking before the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Madeleine Albright,
U.S. Secretary of State, once again condemned the egregious violations of human
rights in Belarus and asked Russia not to sent observers to Belarus. "We have
been working very hard with Moscow and our allies in order to convince them that
we by no means support the policy of the Lukashenko regime. We are not planning
to and asked them not to send their observers to monitor the parliamentary
elections in Belarus, which do not seem to be honest," she said. (Senate Foreign
Relations hearing, September 27)
RUSSIAN OBSERVERS TO MONITOR BELARUSIAN ELECTION
On September 29, responding to
Madeleine Albright's statement, Gennady Seleznyov, Russian Duma Speaker and
Chair of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Russia-Belarus said that not only
Russia but "I am sure many other European countries will send their observers to
Belarus to monitor the October 15 election." (Interfax, September 29)
CPJ DEMANDS FROM REGIME TO GUARANTEE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
On September 25, in
an open letter to Alexander Lukashenko, the Committee to Protect Journalists
(CPJ), a New York-based NGO, expressed its deep disturbance about the recent
confiscation of 112,000 copies of Rabochy (Worker), a newspaper of the
Belarusian Independent Trade Union, devoted to the opposition-staged boycott
campaign of the October 15 election (See Belarus Update Vol. 3, No. 38-39). "The
confiscation of Rabochy and the arrest of the newspaper's editor and lawyer are
part of a pattern of press abuses documented by CPJ that suggest a deliberate
effort on the part of Belarusian authorities to silence critical voices prior to
next month's parliamentary elections, wrote Ann K. Cooper, CPJ's Executive
Director, in the letter. She reminded the Belarusian leader about his words that
broadcast media are responsible for conveying the ideology of the state, that
private individuals would not be allowed to enter the field of broadcasting as
owners or investors, that a local Minsk television channel would be transformed
into a second national network (See Belarus Update Vol. 3, No. 35) and warned
him that this would give the state complete control over television networks in
the country. Ms. Cooper also expressed her concern about the fact that all
publications must register as either for-profit or non-profit entities by the
end of the year. She believes that this registration system could lead to
punitive judicial sanctions and tax audits against critical publications. The
CPJ condemned these violations and urged Lukashenko to ensure that all charges
against Rabochy are dropped and that the confiscated newspapers are released to
the public. "While the Belarusian Constitution guarantees freedom of expression
and of the press, it is the responsibility of your government to ensure that
these rights exist not only in principle but in practice," concluded Ms. Cooper.
(CPJ, September 25)
TRADE UNIONS GET READY FOR MASS PROTESTS
Vladimir Goncharik, chair of the
Belarusian Federation of Trade Unions, who has been denied registration as a
candidate in the forthcoming parliamentary election, told journalists in Minsk
that the Belarussian trade unions are getting ready for mass protests in case
the authorities continue to heighten moral and financial pressure on labor
organizations, reported Interfax. "The state-owned media has launched a
campaign, which is inspired from the top, to discredit trade unions and their
leaders. It is not consistent with repeatedly voiced official statements about
dialogue and cooperation with labor organizations in solving the county's
economic problems," Goncharik said. He confirmed the Federation's decision to
hold a Congress on October 10-11. "The Belarusian trade unions intend to hold
their congress no matter what," the labor leader concluded. (Interfax, September
28)
POLICE BEAT UP WTO PROTESTERS IN MINSK
On September 24, protesters against the
WTO were severely beaten up by police in Minsk, reported Charter 97. About 30
demonstrators, who gathered near the State Musical Theatre to display solidarity
with anti-WTO protesters in Prague, were surrounded and attacked by the law
enforcers. Six activists, as well as a photo correspondent of Nasha Svaboda,
independent newspaper, were arrested, charged with staging an unsanctioned
picket and taken to the nearest police station. They were set free after a
police report was filed. (Charter 97, September 25)
--AT HOME IN BELARUS- CHIEF OF THE LUKASHENKO ADMINISTRATION RESIGNS
On
September 29, Alexander Lukashenko accepted the resignation of Mikhail
Myasnikovich, head of his administration, which was submitted the day before,
reported Charter 97. Local observers believe that he might be appointed as head
of the Belarusian mission to China. (Charter 97, September 29)
LUKASHENKO APPOINTS NEW INTERIOR MINISTER
A new chief of the Belarusian Interior
Ministry was finally nominated, reported Belarusskaya delovaya gazeta, an
independent newspaper. After Yuri Sivakov, the Belarusian Interior Minister,
resigned in April, 2000 "for health reasons," Sivakov's first deputy, Mikhail
Udovikov, became the acting Belarusian Interior Minister. Sivakov came under
fire from Lukashenko after journalists and a representative of the OSCE were
detained on March 25, during the Freedom March-2, an opposition demonstration
(See Belarus Update Vol. 3, No. 13). Alexander Lukashenko has now picked
Vladimir Naumov, 44, a professional terrorist fighter and police colonel, for
the job. Vladimir Naumov previously served as the chief of the presidential
security service and the Commander of the Almaz [Diamond] Special-Assignment
Police Force, or spetsnaz. By the same Decree, Naumov has been promoted to the
police Maj.-Gen. Leonid Erin, deputy chair of the Committee for State Security
(KGB), as new head of the presidential security service. (Belarusskaya delovaya
gazeta, September 28)
--CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS-- October 1: opposition will stage the Freedom
March-3 in Minsk October 1-8 League sponsors visit of Andrei Sannikov, Charter
97 spokesman, to U.S. October 8, 14: a series of rallies under the slogan "Yes
to Election, No to Farce" will be held in all Belarusian regions
************************************************************************
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
| © Copyright 2001, International League of Human Rights |
|
|
