INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

BELARUS UPDATE
Edited by Victor Cole

Vol. 4, No. 14
April 2001

IN THIS ISSUE:

- Trials of Freedom Day marchers continue
- U.S. condemns prosecutions following Freedom Day
- Two students detained in Gomel region
- Minsk police arrests four Zubr activists
- Three activists arrested in Brest
- Malady Front activist detained in Vitebsk Region
- Ecology activist receives heavy fine for unsanctioned picket
- Justice Ministry outlaws group of independent election monitors
- Hard time for democratic NGOs
- U.S.: atmosphere of trust missing in Belarus
- OSCE concerned about deterioration of political climate in the country
- EU official cites lack of respect for civil rights in Belarus
- Opposition honors memory of its prominent leader

--HUMAN RIGHTS AND OPPOSITION NEWS-

TRIALS OF FREEDOM DAY MARCHERS CONTINUE

On April 2, Ales Beliatski, chair of Viasna Human Rights Center, was sentenced to 10 days in jail for organizing an unauthorized demonstration in Minsk on March 25 under Art. 167, par. 2, of the Administrative Offenses Code, reported the BPF Adradzhenne and Viasna Human Rights Center. The opposition leader pleaded "not guilty". Beliatski characterized the police attack on peaceful opposition demonstrators as the regime's death throes and the decision of the Minsk City Council not to allow the march and its subsequent suppression as an unjustified restriction of freedom of assembly and speech.

On April 3, the Central District Court of Minsk sentenced Yuri Belenki, acting chair of the Belarusian Popular Front Conservative Christian Party (BPF-CCP), to 15 days' imprisonment for his participation in the Freedom Day demonstration under charges of violating Art. 167, par. 2, of the Administrative Offenses Code. Belenki was accused of leading a crowd of about 200 activists from the Belarusian Liberation Movement and the BPF-CCP from the Independence Square toward the Main Department Store of Minsk. Law enforcers blocked the marchers from entering Skaryna Avenue and awaited for them in underground passageways. Interior Minister Vladimir Naumov and his deputy personally supervised the police break-up of the assembly and ordered Belenki to go to a police station for interrogation.

On April 5, Pavel Severinets, leader of the Malady (Youth) Front, was sentenced to 10 day incarceration for allegedly violating the street demonstration regulations during the Freedom Day March and organizing an unauthorized picket outside the office of the Belarusian Television and Radio Company (BTR) on Makayonok Street in Minsk on March 27, reported Charter 97.

Judge Yaroshevich of the Leninski District Court of Grodno acquitted Svetlana Nekh, deputy chair of the local branch of the Malady Front, who was arrested for participating in the Freedom Day March and charged with violation of the election legislation under Art. 167, par. 2, of the Belarusian Administrative Offences Code, reported Nasha Svaboda, an independent newspaper.
(BPF Adradzhenne press service, Viasna Human Rights Center, Belapan, Charter 97, Nasha Svaboda, April 2-4)

U.S. CONDEMNS PROSECUTIONS FOLLOWING FREEDOM DAY

On March 30, the United States issued a statement expressing concern over the arrests and prosecution of citizens who peacefully gathered to mark the Belarus Freedom Day on March 25 (see Belarus Update Vol. 4, No. 12-13). "The United States is deeply concerned by the Belarusian authorities' treatment of Belarusian citizens who publicly celebrated Belarusian Freedom Day on March 25," said Richard Boucher, State Department Spokesman. "Freedom of assembly and expression are basic human rights that Belarus is bound to respect. The Belarusian authorities are calling for improved relations with the international community," the U.S. official said. He urged the Belarusian authorities to back up their declarations with deeds by immediately releasing Vintsuk Viachorka, chair of the BPF Adradzhenne, and others jailed activists, by dismissing charges against Ales Beliatski, chair of Viasna Human Rights Center, and Pavel Severinets, chair of the Malady (Youth) Front and a former political prisoner, and by ending punitive measures against all those who celebrated the Belarus Freedom Day. (USIA, March 30)

TWO STUDENTS DETAINED IN GOMEL REGION

On March 22, Yuri Moskalevich and Ales Pinchuk, both students of the Mozyr Pedagogical Institute of Gomel Region, were arrested by the police while pasting on walls the stickers of a new nationwide opposition movement called Zubr [Bison] and the slogan "Stop Lukashenko!" At the police station, the boys were threatened with expulsion if they did not name the people whose orders they were fulfilling and charged with "petty hooliganism" under Art. 156 of the Belarusian Administrative Code. (Viasna Human Rights Center, April 2)

MINSK POLICE ARRESTS FOUR ZUBR ACTIVISTS
Aleksey Shidlovski, Timofei Dranchuk, Dmitry Drapochko, and Ales Apranich, all members of the youth movement Zubr, were arrested at approximately 2:00 a.m. on April 5 and charged with writing the graffiti on the walls of the Minsk refrigerator factory at 65 Timiryazeva Street saying "Where is Gonchar? Where is Zavadsky? Where is Zakharenko?" regarding the disappearance of prominent figures. Police detained the four young men as they were walking along the fence, reportedly a temporary structure near the factory, and confiscated a can of spray-paint from one of them. Police handcuffed the youths, forced them down on the ground, and even sprayed their hands with the paint, then took them to the Tsentralny District Internal Affairs Directorate [police station] in Minsk. Alexey Shidlovsky, who has previously served jail time for political graffiti, and Timofey Dranchuk were reportedly beaten at the police station.

In her letter to Lukashenko, Catherine Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of the League, called on the Belarusian government to release the youths immediately, because they have not committed a violent or serious crime, and because they were denied the due process of law. (ILHR; Zubr http://www.zubr-belarus.com/)

THREE ACTIVISTS ARRESTED IN BREST

On March 30, Evgeny Pleshko, 15, Andrei Khomich, 17, and Sergei Bakun were detained by police in Brest, while distributing a special issue of Nasha Svaboda dedicated to the political disappearances in the country. All the detainees were forced into police vehicles and taken to the Leninski District Internal Affairs Directorate. They were not allowed to contact relatives or friends. All three reportedly were verbally threatened while in detention and released after two hours. (Belapan, April 1)

MALADY FRONT ACTIVIST DETAINED IN VITEBSK REGION

On April 2, the Orsha police, Vitebsk Region, searched a night train to Moscow and detained Pavel Miagkov, a member of the Malady Front, reported Viasna Human Rights Center. The opposition activist was taken to the police station and searched. During the search, law enforcers confiscated the text of the Russia-Belarus union agreement. Miagkov was released in about an hour, when his train already left the station. (Viasna Human Rights Center, April 3)

NTV SUPPORTERS SENTENCED IN BORISOV

On April 4, local activists from the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (BSDP) demonstrated on the central square in Borisov in support of the protesting journalists and media workers at NTV, Russia's independent television channel, which is battling for defending editorial independence and journalists' right to exercise their own discretion about coverage. The BSDP activists condemned the "boardroom coup" by the quasi-state company Gazprom, which had sacked NTV's old board at a meeting on April 3rd and had appointed an American investment banker, Boris Jordan, as the new director general. Alexander Abramovich, Ales Borodulya and Dmitry Fedorchenko were arrested and charged with organizing an unsanctioned demonstration. The next day, Abramovich received a 10 day imprisonment. (Charter 97, April 5)

ECOLOGY ACTIVIST RECEIVES HEAVY FINE FOR UNSANCTIONED PICKET

On April 2, the Oktyabrsky District Court of Vitebsk fined Sergei Aksimovich 150 minimal wages (about $700) for organizing an unsanctioned picket under Art. 167, par. 2, of the Administrative Offenses Code, reported Viasna Human Rights Center. On February 18, he and Irina and Eduard Baydak protested against the building of a Russian oil refinery near the city. Irina and Eduard Baydak were reprimanded. (Viasna Human Rights Center, April 3)

JUSTICE MINISTRY OUTLAWS GROUP OF INDEPENDENT ELECTION MONITORS

The Belarusian authorities continue to restrict severely the right to freedom of association. On March 23, the Belarusian Ministry of Justice issued a statement which outlaws the activities of Independent View, a group of independent monitors, on the grounds that the organization failed to register with the authorities. The Ministry said that in accordance with an amendment to the Administrative Offenses Code, signed by the Belarusian president in December 1999, any work on behalf of an unregistered NGO is punishable by fines. In response, Ales Beliatski, chair of Viasna Human Rights Center; Oleg Volchek, director of the Public Legal Aid Association; Oleg Trusov, chair of Belarusian Language Society; Kiril Sidun, head of the National Association of Belarusian Students, wrote that Independent View is not a public organization, which needs to be registered with the Justice Ministry, but a joint initiative launched by the officially registered democratic NGOs. (Nasha Svaboda, April 2)

HARD TIME FOR DEMOCRATIC NGOs

On March 29, the Executive Bureau of the Assembly of Belarusian Pro-Democratic NGOs
expressed its protest against the limitations of the rights and freedoms of citizens and public associations by the Belarusian authorities. In a flagrant violation of basic human rights and freedoms, the Lukashenko regime is taking strict measures aimed at suppressing NGOs' activities. The latest step undertaken by the authorities is Decree No. 8 "On Certain Measures of Regulation of the Procedure of Receipt and Use of the Foreign Charitable Aid," the representatives of the country's democratic NGOs said in a statement. The Decree has enumerated those areas of activities that are allowed to use foreign gratuitous aid. The list does not include human rights, educational, ecological, youth nor numerous other important fields of civic engagement. The Assembly appealed to the democratic international community to condemn the regime for its notorious intolerance of NGOs and to demand the rescinding of Decree No. 8. (Executive Bureau of the Assembly of Belarusian Pro-Democratic NGOs, March 29)

U.S.: ATMOSPHERE OF TRUST MISSING IN BELARUS

On April 4, Rep. Christopher H. Smith ( R-NJ), chair of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, said that judging by the continuing actions of the repressive regime of Alexander Lukashenko, free, fair, and transparent election - consistent with Belarus's freely undertaken OSCE commitments - will be very difficult to achieve. "Democratic elections require an all-encompassing atmosphere of trust and a respect for basic human rights," Rep. Smith said. He cited the authorities' recent cracked down on participants of the Freedom Day march, claims of the Belarusian state television that the CIA was intensifying "subversive activity" as the presidential election draws nearer, Belarus's KGB chief pledge to intensify surveillance of foreigners, and the introduction of Decree No. 8, which essentially imposes restrictions on assistance from abroad offered to NGOs for democracy building and human rights, as recent actions in Belarus that discourage such trust.

Rep. Smith also expressed his concern about recent assaults on religious communities. Last month, the Council of Ministers restricted visits by foreign clergy for "non-religious" purposes -- including contact with religious and other organizations, participation in conferences and other events, or charitable activities. Government officials are also refusing to register some Reform Jewish communities because they do not have "legal" addresses. In February, state-controlled Belarusian television aired a documentary alleging Catholicism as a threat to the very existence of the Belarusian nation. And in January, leaders of Belarus' Protestant community alleged that state newspapers carried biased articles that present Pentecostals as "wild fanatics."

Rep. Smith noted that freedom of the press and of self-expression are also in jeopardy. Editors of a variety of newspapers are being fined on fictitious and trumped-up charges for violating the Law on Press and Other Mass Media. Various periodicals are being confiscated and destroyed, and distributors of independent newspapers have been arrested. Youth organizations have been accused of engaging in activities that "weaken the Belarusian statehood" and "undermine socioeconomic stability". Teenagers have been arrested for picketing and protesting, and others have been detained for distributing newspapers or pasting stickers advocating reform and calling on the authorities to solve the cases of political disappearances. Belarusian Television and Radio (BTR) has also canceled scheduled addresses to be made by potential presidential candidates or opposition leaders. The Deputy Minister of Education has ordered heads of the educational community to ban seminars conducted by the People's University. Lukashenko has also undertaken repressive acts against the potential presidential candidates and their families in an attempt to thwart their campaign progress. "When one looks at these and other recent actions of the Lukashenko regime, the inescapable conclusion is that the regime has created an unhealthy environment in advance of the election," Rep. Smith concluded. (USIA, April 5)

OSCE CONCERNED ABOUT DETERIORATION OF POLITICAL CLIMATE IN BELARUS

On April 6, the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) deplored the unduly harsh reaction of the Belarusian authorities to the March 25 peaceful demonstrations, which were marked by the disproportionate use of force, arrests, and prison sentences or high monetary penalties handed down to participants and organizers of the demonstrations. "The ODIHR is deeply concerned about this indication of continuous deterioration in the political climate in Belarus ahead of the presidential election," ODIHR Director Gérard Stoudmann said. "We call on the authorities to review, in accordance with the rule of law, the cases of imprisoned or fined March 25 demonstrators. We also call on the authorities to ensure that the freedom of Belarusian citizens to peacefully participate in rallies and to freely express their political opinions will be fully guaranteed in the future." "We urge the Government of Belarus to create the conditions necessary for the conduct of democratic elections," Mr. Stoudmann concluded. In this context, the ODIHR also called on the Government to reconsider the Presidential Decree No. 8, which imposes far-reaching restrictions on international democratization and human rights assistance to Belarus. (OSCE, April 6)

EU OFFICIAL CITES LACK OF RESPECT FOR CIVIL RIGHTS IN BELARUS

On March 30, at the 57th Session of the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, speaking on behalf of the EU, Amb. Johan Molander expressed concern about the lack of respect for civil and political rights in Belarus. "The European Union is particularly worried about the reports of arbitrary arrests and detentions, violations of the rights of labor unions, ill-treatment and disappearances as well as restrictions on access to the media and on freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly," the EU official said. He called upon the Belarusian government not to interfere in the judicial proceedings and to urgently undertake legislative reforms aimed at strengthening civil and political rights. "The EU expects that the presidential elections, scheduled for this coming fall, be conducted in a free and fair manner," Amb. Molander concluded. (UN, March 30)

REGIME TRIES TO GET A SEAT ON THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL

Diplomatic sources informed the League that Ms. White, acting Foreign Minister of Costa Rica, received Alexander Sychov, the Belarusian deputy foreign minister. Sychov asked for support of Belarus's request to get a seat on the United Nations Security Council, and the Costa Rican FM declined. Acting FM White raised her grave concerns about human rights abuses in Belarus. Reportedly Sychov was completely unprepared to defend his government's positions in this area. The Belarusian Government is also planning to ask Panama to support the Belarus getting a seat on the Council. The Security council has 15 seats, of which 10 are rotating and 5 are the permanent members of China, France, Great Britain, Russia, and the U.S. (ILHR, April 5)

BELARUSIAN GOVERNMENT GEARS UP FOR ELECTION CRACKDOWN

On April 3, ARTICLE 19, UK-based NGO working worldwide to combat censorship by promoting freedom of expression and access to official information, issued a statement condemning the arbitrary arrests and attacks by the police of non-state journalists covering the opposition events and proposals to restrict foreign funding for NGOs in Belarus. The organization believes that Decree No. 8, which seriously restricts overseas funding of non-governmental organizations and puts even more pressure on legitimate activities, will create an environment where a free and fair election cannot take place. The text of the decree specifically states that "foreign charitable aid" may not be used for sponsoring gatherings, meetings, street marches, demonstrations, production and dissemination of "agitation" materials and holding seminars. A registration process is required for those wishing to receive foreign funds, with the Department of Humanitarian Affairs (controlled by Lukashenko) keeping tight control on permissible limits and purposes of funding.

ARTICLE 19 also criticized a wide application of the repressive 1995 Law on Press and other Mass Media, primarily against the independent media. In February 2001, the Belarusian government introduced a draft of the law "On Information Security" which is even more repressive than the notorious 1995 "Law on Press and other Mass Media" and provides for new content restrictions, licensing of the print media and further controls on access to government-held information. A particularly ominous feature is that many powers are exercised directly by the State security bodies. Equally important are politically-motivated economic measures, sometimes referred to as "structural censorship," which stifle the independent media. At the same time, the Belarusian Government exercises strict control over the State media. It was highlighted during the October 2000 election when opposition parties had no access to the State media, despite efforts by the international community to address this serious abuse of State resources. http://www.article19.org/docimages/998.htm

NATO PA TO ENCOURAGE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS IN BELARUS

On March 30, at a meeting in Rome, the Standing Committee of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly endorsed the following recommendations, on the basis of the findings of an Assembly fact-finding mission in Belarus on March 25-27.
1. The Assembly will maintain the suspension of its links with the Belarusian Parliament, in view of the expiration of the mandate of the 13th Supreme Soviet in January 2001 and the absence of fair and free election conditions of the National Assembly in October 2000.
2. To support the country's incipient democratization process, the Assembly will:
a) invite two civic and political leaders to participate as special guests in its Spring Session in Vilnius in May;
b) support the initiative of members of the Committee on the Civil Aspects of Security to invite an independent Belarusian political analyst to brief the Committee in Vilnius;
c) mandate the International Secretariat to explore the possibility of holding a Rose-Roth seminar in Belarus;
d) encourage individual members to participate in speaking tours or seminars organized by NGOs and civic groups in Belarus, including in the regions;
e) explore the possibility of cooperation with NATO in the context of Belarus' Partnership for Peace program;
f) mandate the Committee on the Civil Aspects of Security to maintain a close watch on developments in Belarus. (M2 Presswire, April 3)

OPPOSITION HONORS MEMORY OF PROMINENT LEADER

On April 6, Belarusian colleagues, friends, and relatives gathered to honor the memory of Gennady Karpenko, a prominent opponent to the Lukashenko regime, who died suddenly on April 6, 1999, at the age of 49, of what the medical authorities said was a cerebral hemorrhage. The United Civic Party held a presentation of two new books about him, reported Nasha Svaboda. Karpenko's death was deeply disturbing to many in Belarus. Many opposition commentators believe that if Karpenko was still alive, he would certainly have been the leading candidate to challenge Lukashenko. The circumstances surrounding his final hours have caused the family and colleagues to doubt that he died of natural causes. Karpenko received no serious medical attention for 24 hours after he had collapsed and entered a state medical center. Last year, in an interview to the New York Times, his wife, Ludmila, said that she suspects that he was murdered. Karpenko's family remains under surveillance and harassment from the Lukashenko security forces. (Nasha Svaboda, April 4)

-CALENDAR OF UPCOMING EVENTS-

April 26- opposition to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

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For daily updates, visit our partners website, Charter 97, www.charter97.org with news in Belarusian, Russian, and English.

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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 60th year, is New York-based human rights NGO in consultative status with the United Nations.

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.

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