Belarus Project

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Belarus Updates, 2000
INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS BELARUS UPDATE Edited by Victor Cole Vol. 3, No. 49 November 2000 IN THIS ISSUE - Lukashenko sacks top security officials - KGB ordered to be vigilant - Belarus shows the door to OSCE AMG - Russian Foreign Minister criticizes OSCE for double standards - Human Rights Day protest banned by authorities - Trials of opposition activists continue - Local opposition leader charged with holding unsanctioned picket - RNU member receives small fine for abuse of opposition leader's son - OSCE trains public defenders in Belarus - Belarus hosts Putin, CIS summit --HUMAN RIGHTS AND OPPOSITION NEWS LUKASHENKO SACKS TOP SECURITY OFFICIALS On November 27, following press reports that Dmitry Zavadsky, ORT cameraman in Belarus missing since July 7, and Viktor Gonchar, prominent opposition leader, who vanished on September 16, 1999, were killed by some officers of the presidential security service (See Belarus Update Vol. 3, No. 48), Alexander Lukashenko fired Vladimir Matskevich, chief of the Belarusian State Security Council (KGB), and replaced Oleg Bozhelko, Prosecutor General, with Viktor Sheiman, secretary of the Belarusian State Security Council. The Belarusian State TV reported that the personnel changes were caused by "the leadership's dissatisfaction with the progress in investigations in certain high-profile cases." Sheiman's post went to Ural Latypov, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs who once worked for the Soviet KGB in Magnitogorsk, Russia. Leonid Yerin, chief of the presidential security service, was appointed as the KGB chief. Sheiman became the Belarusian Prosecutor General. Mikhail Udovikov, former acting Belarusian Interior Minister, was appointed Latypov's deputy. Mikhail Khvostov, a former Lukashenko aide, was appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs. For the first time since the 1950s, the top Belarusian posts are occupied by Russians. In an interview with Moskovsky Komsomolets, Russian newspaper, a source in the Lukashenko government says that a request to "replace" Sheiman was transmitted by Sergei Ivanov, secretary of the Russian Security Council, who reportedly told the Belarusian leader that Moscow "no longer wanted Sheiman around." Latypov, newly appointed secretary of the Belarusian State Security Council, is just the man who speaks Ivanov's language. Yerin is openly branded as Moscow's agent. In the early 1990s, he headed the Moscow Regional Directorate of the Federal Security Service, responsible for transport. Local observers believe that the dismissals were prompted by the Kremlin, which plans to support Lukashenko again in the next presidential election. Russia does not want "another Yugoslavia," they say, meaning that Vojislav Kostunica, who won in Belgrade, turned out to be a "dark horse" for Russian diplomacy. In Belarus, the Russian government is trying to establish its control right now. This objective requires replacing some key officials with more manageable people. On November 30, upon his arrival at Minsk airport, Vladimir Putin said that the firing of the Belarusian high-ranked officials, had been planned, reported Interfax. "I was not alarmed," Putin told reporters. "They were simply planned changes which the president [Lukashenko] had planned for some time. This is the internal affair of Belarus." (Belapan- Interfax- Moskovsky Komsomolets, November 27- 30) KGB ORDERED TO BE VIGILANT On November 28, during a meeting with the KGB leadership, the Belarusian leader once again accused the West of funding his political opponents and contemplating plans to overthrow his government, using "ideology, money, and other dirty tricks," and called on the KGB to be vigilant, reported Belapan. "The West and opposition are impudent in uniting to find a candidate other than Lukashenko," the Belarusian strongman said. "This seems to be an attempt to interfere, even by military means, and a desire to destabilize the situation in the country. We will be tougher than ever." He demanded from the KGB to warn him of "any foreign services' plans and intentions," and ordered to conduct around-the-clock surveillance of the foreign diplomats. (Belapan, November 28) BELARUS SHOWS DOOR TO OSCE AMG Lukashenko expressed doubts whether it "makes sense" for the OSCE AMG to stay in the country any longer, reported Interfax. "The time has come to think about the role and the place of the OSCE AMG in Belarus," the head of the state said, adding that the OSCE experts have "fully accomplished their mission" of issuing recommendations on how to improve the country's election legislation and, therefore, "there is time for them to leave the country." "No one is going to make any amendments to the Belarusian legislation before the presidential election," the dictator said, leaving no room for guessing how much he appreciates the mission's efforts to return the country to the path to democracy. Lukashenko also said that the Belarus's authorities had learned "all they could" from the OSCE and, that, therefore, its observers would not be needed at next year's presidential election, which he has vowed to win. Commenting on Lukashenko's latest statements, the Belarusian opposition leaders said they were undaunted by what they saw as a routine attack with a familiar anti-Western tone. (Interfax, November 28) RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER CRITICIZES OSCE FOR DOUBLE STANDARDS The Belarusian leader's suggestion to the OSCE AMG to promptly leave the country was obviously encouraged by Moscow. On November 27, speaking at the Eighth OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Vienna, Igor Ivanov, Russian Foreign Minister, harshly criticized "negative tendencies emerging in the OSCE's activities." "The tendency to reduce the OSCE to reviewing only humanitarian and human rights issues and only in the eastern part of the Euro-Atlantic space cannot but cause concern," Ivanov said. The Russian Foreign Minister accused the OSCE of pursuing a policy of "double standards" in its relations with Belarus and condemned the organization's leadership for not sending observers to the Belarusian parliamentary election. "Unprecedented pressure was mounted on this country. It was a scandalous thing that the OSCE refused to send its observers to the Belarusian election," Ivanov said, adding that the attempts to impose one's will on other states will invariably fail. (Itar-Tass, November 27) HUMAN RIGHTS DAY PROTEST BANNED BY AUTHORITIES Charter 97 reported that the Minsk City Council banned the democratic opposition from holding a picket on December 10 at Mikhailovski Square in Minsk to mark the International Human Rights Day and issued a permit only to hold a rally at the infamous Bangalore Square on outskirts of Minsk. The opposition considers this decision unlawful and anti-constitutional. Viasna Human Rights Center reported that the authorities in Kobrin, Brest Region, simply refused to consider the application filed by the local opposition activists to stage a protest on the Human Rights Day. (Charter 97- Viasna Human Rights Center, November 28) OSCE TRAINS PUBLIC DEFENDERS IN BELARUS The OSCE AM Group in Belarus is currently implementing a project titled "Training of Public Defenders and Support to the Independent Legal Sector," funded by the European Union and the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights. One of the components of the project is training seminars for public defenders. The Belarusian Helsinki Committee and the Public Legal Aid Association, two leading Belarusian human rights NGOs, have been selected to hold the series of seminars, both in the regions and in Minsk. They have jointly published a Handbook for Public Defenders, which will be distributed at the seminars and to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Ministry of Justice and other government institutions of Belarus. On November 25-26, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee held seminars in Glubokoye, Vitebsk Region, and in Molodechno, Minsk Region, which were attended by a total of 60 people, representing members of human rights organizations active in those regions, attorneys, journalists, and city authorities. Seminars for public defenders will be also held in 15 other towns of Belarus, including Orsha, Polotsk, Novopolotsk, Soligorsk, Svetlogorsk, Lida, Novogrudok and all regional centers. The seminar program is expected to be completed by February 2001, and will be marked by a final two-day seminar in Minsk, which will focus on more advanced training of the most active participants chosen from the regional seminars. (OSCE, November 29) TRIALS OF OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS CONTINUE Viasna Human Rights Center reported that the Leninski District Court of Grodno fined Sergey Klimuk, Natalya Kaptsevich, Ales Lashkovsky and Denis Mikhalchyk, all members of the Grodno branch of the Malady Front, 30 minimal wages (about $105) each for participation in mass actions which violated public order under Art. 167, para 1, of the Belarusian Administrative Code. Olga Ivanova was fined 25 minimal wages (about $88), Andrei Melnikov and Elena Mashkala 20 minimal wages (about $70) for the same offence. Inna Meleshko and Olga Filipovich were reprimanded. The opposition activists were arrested on November 12 during a peaceful youth protest against the Lukashenko regime called Changes! (See Belarus Update Vol. 3, No. 47). On November 27, Sergey Shapiro, Vladimir Pototsky, Yury Melnikov, all members of the Vitebsk branch of the BPF Adradzhenne, were charged with participation in mass actions which violated public order under Art. 167, para 1, of the Administrative Offenses Code and reprimanded, reported BPF Adradzhenne press service. On October 12, the activists were arrested for staging an unsanctioned picket and brought to the Oktyabrsky District Internal Affairs Directorate, where a protocol was filed against them (See Belarus Update Vol. 3, No. 43). On November 28, Dmitry and Mikhail Kuznetsov, minors and both members of the Borisov, Minsk Region, branch of the Malady Front, stood trial for taking part in Changes!, an action staged on November 12 by the city's opposition youth organizations, and accused of the violation public order under Art. 167, para 1, of the Administrative Offenses Code. Dmitry was fined 2,000 BYB (about $2) and Mikhail 3,000 BYB (about $3). At the beginning of the hearing, Dmitry Borodko, a representative of Viasna Human Rights Center, was ordered to leave the courtroom on the pretext that the judge can not "find a reason for him to be here." (Viasna Human Rights Center- BPF Adradzhenne press service, November 27-30) LOCAL OPPOSITION LEADER CHARGED WITH HOLDING UNSANCTIONED PICKET Viasna Human Rights Center reported on November 30 that Boris Khamaida, editor-in chief of Choice, an opposition newspaper, and a member of the Vitebsk branch of the Conservative Christian Party (CCP) led by Zyanon Paznyak, was arrested for the second time within last ten days for carrying an unfolded poster calling on all Belarusian citizens to unite around the ideas of this Act of Independence, adopted by the All-Belarusian Congress, and to defend the Belarusian sovereignty. The activist is charged with holding two an unauthorized pickets, which is punishable under Art. 167 of the Administrative Offenses Code. He is to stand trial at the Zheleznodorozhny District court of Vitebsk. (Viasna Human Rights Center, November 30) RNU MEMBER RECEIVES SMALL FINE FOR ABUSE OF OPPOSITION LEADER'S SON Sergey Maklak, member of the Russian National Unity, a Russian nationalistic movement, received a ridiculously small fine (one minimal wage or about $3) for beating up 14-year-old Ales Lapitski, a son of Alexsey Lapitski, head of the Zhodino branch of the BPF Adradzhenne. On October 8, during a meeting with voters held by local democratic opposition, Maklak, together with other RNU members, threw a stone at a speaker and attacked Ales, who tried to videotape them (See Belarus Update Vol. 3, No. 42). Police standing nearby did nothing to assist the victims or to apprehend the assailants, as if welcoming such extremist manifestations. Flying into a rage, the RNU members set opposition leaflets on fire and spread them around. On the previous day, RNU members had thrown stones into the windows of the BPF Adradzhenne headquarters and threatened Alexsey Lapitski with physical reprisal. The court's ruling was based on video materials presented in the courtroom by the victim and a testimony of a policeman who confirmed that Maklak punched Ales in the head with his fist. (Viasna Human Rights Center, November 27) LOCAL OPPOSITION LEADER ACQUITTED On November 21, the Zhodino, Minsk Region, City Court acquitted Alexsey Lapitski, who was warned for dissemination of printing production that does not contain the information about publisher under Art. 172, para 3 of the Belarusian Administrative Code, reported Viasna Human Rights Center. On September 27, the police detained Pavel Krasovsky, a juvenile member of the organization, while pasting the Boycott 2000 stickers. The policemen forced the teenager to sign a police report claiming he received stickers from Lapitski. Judge Larisa Frolenkova dismissed the case under Art. 227, para 6, of the Administrative Code, which annuls the prosecution of persons previously accused of advocating the boycott of the election. (Viasna Human Rights Center, November 27) --AT HOME IN BELARUS- BELARUS HOSTS PUTIN, CIS SUMMIT On November 30, Alexander Lukashenko and Vladimir Putin met in Minsk in the latest of their periodic attempts to put substance into a longstanding plan to merge their nations, reported Belapan. Putin dashed prospects for speedy progress on a proposed merger with Belarus, telling Lukashenko that the project required careful thought. The two leaders signed another accord to move toward using the Russian ruble in both countries by 2005 and establishing a joint currency by 2008. Putin appeared to pour cold water on Lukashenko's long-held desire for the union to assume a greater political role. "The creation of a union state demands the voluntary renunciation of a certain amount of sovereignty, so we first need to think 100 or 1000 times and only then act," Putin told reporters. Lukashenko said the leaders had reached the "joint opinion that we should integrate on an economic basis." "Unlike political decisions, we agreed on economic issues a long time ago," the Belarusian leader added. On December 1, Minsk also hosted a summit of the failing Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), reported Interfax. The heads of 11 ex-Soviet states focused on finding an antidote to religious and political extremism which they say is threatening the region. Russia, waging its second war in the separatist and largely Muslim region of Chechnya, has also been increasingly anxious about the spread of militant Islam in Central Asia, seen by many as "Moscow's soft underbelly." Many leaders have said they expect little from the group, which has failed to implement most of its decisions since its was created after Soviet rule collapsed. (Belapan, November 30- Interfax, December 1) -CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS- December 10- opposition to mark the International Human Rights Defenders Day (Note: UN Human Rights Day is December 10; Defenders Day, in honor of the General Assembly's "Defenders' Resolution" of 1998 is December 9). ********************************************************************** 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**