INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

BELARUS UPDATE

Edited by Victor Cole

Vol. 5, Nos. 25 and 26

June 2002

IN THIS ISSUE:

- Belarus Democracy Act Presented to Congress
- Prosecutor Demands Imprisonment For Pahonya Journalists
- Pahonya Journalists Sentenced
- Democratic Community Denounces Journalists Conviction
- Editor Of Independent Weekly Accused Of Slandering President
- Authorities Freeze Bank Account Of Independent Newspaper
- OSCE Delegation Rejected
- OSCE Criticizes List Of Banned Authors In Belarus
- Union Rights Violations Rampant in Belarus
- UN Labor Meeting Rejects Belarus Delegation's Credentials
- New Law On Religion Favors Orthodox Church
- Belarusian Legislature Approves Contentious Religion Law
- U.S. Concerned About Restraints On Free Expression In Belarus
- Authorities Hinder Evangelical Religions
- Lukashenko Slams Putin For Criticism Of Union Plans
- Russia, Belarus: The End Of Affair?
- Iranian Parliamentary Speaker Visits Belarus
- KGB Official Falls To His Death From Balcony

--HUMAN RIGHTS AND OPPOSITION NEWS-

REP. CHRISTOPHER SMITH INTRODUCES BELARUS DEMOCRACY ACT

On June 27, introducing to the U.S. House of Representatives the Belarus Democracy Act of 2002, Rep. Christopher H. Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chairman, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission), made the following statement:

"Mr. Speaker, I am introducing today the Belarus Democracy Act of 2002, which is intended to help promote democratic development, human rights and the rule of law in the Republic of Belarus, as well as encourage the consolidation and strengthening of Belarus' sovereignty and independence. When measured against other European countries, the state of human rights in Belarus is abysmal - it has the worst record of any
European state."

"Through an illegitimate 1996 referendum, Alexander Lukashenko usurped power, while suppressing the duly-elected legislature and the judiciary. His regime has blatantly and repeatedly violated basic freedoms of speech, expression, assembly, association and religion. The fledgling democratic opposition, non-governmental organizations and independent media have all faced harassment. There are credible allegations of Lukashenko regime involvement in the disappearances - in 1999 and 2000 - of opposition members and a journalist. There is growing evidence that Belarus is a leading supplier of lethal military equipment to rogue states. A draft bill is making its way in the Belarusian legislature that would restrict non-traditional religious groups. Several days ago, on June 24, two leading journalists were sentenced to two and 2 ½ years, respectively, of "restricted freedom" for allegedly slandering the Belarusian President."

"Despite efforts by Members of Congress, the Helsinki Commission which I co-chair, the State Department, various American NGOs, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and other European organizations, the regime of Alexander Lukashenko continues its hold onto power with impunity and to the detriment of the Belarusian people."

"One of the primary purposes of this bill is to demonstrate U.S. support for those struggling to promote democracy and respect for human rights in Belarus despite the formidable pressures they face from the anti-democratic regime. The bill authorizes increases in assistance for democracy-building activities such as support for non-governmental organizations, independent media - including radio and television broadcasting to Belarus, and international exchanges. The bill also encourages free and fair parliamentary elections, conducted in a manner consistent with international standards - in sharp contrast to recent parliamentary and presidential elections in Belarus which most assuredly did not meet democratic standards. As a result of these elections, Belarus has the distinction of lacking legitimate presidential and parliamentary leadership, which contributes to that country's self-imposed isolation."

"In addition, this bill would impose sanctions against the Lukashenko regime, and deny high-ranking officials of the regime entry into the United States. Strategic exports to the Belarusian Government would be prohibited, as well as U.S. Government financing, except for humanitarian goods and agricultural or medical products. The U.S. Executive Directors of the international financial institutions would be encouraged to vote against financial assistance to the Government of Belarus except for loans and assistance that serve humanitarian needs. The bill would require reports from the President concerning the sale or delivery of weapons or weapons-related technologies from Belarus to rogue states."

"Mr. Speaker, finally, it is my hope that this bill will help put an end to the pattern of clear, gross and uncorrected violations of OSCE commitments by the Lukashenko regime and will serve as a catalyst to facilitate Belarus' integration into democratic Europe in which democratic principles and human rights are respected and the rule of law prevails."
The text of the bill can be found at: http://www.csce.gov/helsinki.cfm

PROSECUTOR DEMANDS IMPRISONMENT FOR PAHONYA JOURNALISTS

On June 18-19, Public Prosecutor Ryabov requested prison terms of two-and-a-half years in a hard-labor colony for Mikalai Markevich, editor-in-chief of Pahonya, a Grodno-based independent newspaper, and two years for reporter Pavel Mazheika, said Belarusian news reports. [On November 12, 2001, Pahonya was shut down by order of the Belarusian Supreme Economic Court for criticizing Lukashenko. The online version of the newspaper continues to be posted.-Ed.]. The journalists had been indicted under Art. 367, par. 2 of the Belarusian Penal Code for allegedly defaming the Belarusian President. The judge had to order a break in the trial following the prosecutor's call after the audience started shouting "Shame! Shame!," observers said. Several international human rights organizations urged the Belarusian authorities to take immediate steps to put an end to the harassment and intimidation of Markevich and Mazheika. The human rights advocates believe that it is completely unacceptable to prosecute the two journalists solely for giving voice to widely held concerns and fears relating to the fate of the country's missing opposition leaders. On June 21, Markevich and Mazheika delivered their final statements in their ongoing criminal libel case. Judge Tatyana Klimova will announce the sentence on June 24.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), a New York-based journalist rights organization, condemned the criminal prosecution of Pahonya journalists. "We are outraged that Belarusian authorities are seeking to imprison journalists for exercising their right to free expression and criticizing the head of state," said Ann Cooper, CPJ Executive Director. "The Lukashenko regime is employing truly ruthless methods in its campaign to annihilate independent journalism."

The International Conference On Media Independence, a Moscow-based NGO, adopted a resolution condemning the trial of Pahonya journalists. "Imprisonment cannot be applied against journalists fulfilling their professional duty," the delegates said in a resolution. The Conference leadership urged the UN Commission On Human Rights, the Council of Europe, and the European Union to demand from the Belarusian authorities to halt the prosecution of Pahonya journalists and to treat the independent press in Belarus in accordance with international standards. (Viasna Human Rights Center/ Charter 97/ RFE/RL, June 18-21)

PAHONYA JOURNALISTS SENTENCED FOR SLANDERING DICTATOR

Despite local and international protest, on June 23, 2002, the Leninsky District Court of Grodno found Mikalai Markevich, editor-in-chief of the independent weekly newspaper Pahonya, and Pavel Mazheika, a journalist for the same newspaper, guilty of libel against president Lukashenko (Art. 367 (2) of Belarus Criminal Code) and sentenced Markevich to 2.5 years and Mazheika to two years, respectively, of "restricted freedom." As a result of the conviction, 40-year-old Markevich and 23-year-old Mazheika will be subject to forced labor under police supervision for the duration of their sentences, which will severely curtail their ability to practice their profession.

On September 5, 2001, the Grodno Regional Prosecutor's Office, had filed a case against the newspaper on the grounds that three articles published in Pahonya's No. 36 issue defame the Belarusian President by accusing him of committing a number of serious crimes including murder, genocide, and establishing a criminal organization or taking part in its activities.

In an article titled "Going To The Elections," referencing the president's responsibility for the cases of 4 disappeared opposition figures, all of whom he had personally attacked, Pavel Mazheika wrote: "Does a person who murders his political opponents deserve public support during the elections?" The statement prompted the Prosecutor's Office to conclude that the journalist was accusing Alexander Lukashenko himself of committing a murder.

"Seven years of Lukashenko's rule has showed that he is a sick person who wants to annihilate its own people. He kills his opponents, destroys the national heritage, and masterminds the extinction of the Belarusian nation," wrote journalist S. Krakasevich in an article titled "He Is Not Lukashenko," published in the same issue of Pahonya. The Prosecutor's Office found that the article contains an accusation of murder and genocide.

The Prosecutor's Office maintained that the following excerpt from the poem "I Promised! I Promise! I Will Promise!" charges Alexander Lukashenko with establishing a criminal organization or taking part in its activities:

"I promised my people the mafia would be defeated…
Well, you may congratulate me
Because I decided to lead it!"

The case was filed at 8:00 p.m. after only about 10,000 copies of the issue # 36 of the paper (out of 88,000) had been printed. The printing was stopped and the printed copies were confiscated, although by law such actions must be authorized by court. Moreover, since the issue was never distributed, a condition precedent for considering Pahonya's issue #36 "mass media" was not fulfilled and the offense could not have said to taken place. The Press Law stipulates that a newspaper attains the status of "mass media" only after it reaches the public. Law enforcement officials also confiscated computer hard drives from the Pahonya office. The newspaper's bank account was frozen and the shipment of 3 metric tons of paper that had previously been purchased by the newspaper was seized by the authorities. As a result of government's actions, the newspaper's losses totaled about $5,000.

The KGB order forming the basis for the action of the prosecutor's office, was filed a day before the newspaper was printed. The master copy of the newspaper had been delivered to the printing house on September 2. However, the printing house claimed that the newsprint provided by Pahonya was not in accordance with the standards, and that they could not print the issue. The printing process was thus delayed, giving the KGB time to plan the concerted action against Pahonya on September 5, four days before elections. The printing house seems to be the likely location where the KGB agents detected and read the articles. The whole process reads in practice as a recipe for censorship.

On September 12, 2001, the Grodno Prosecutor's Office opened a criminal case against the newspaper, confiscating its entire print run. Although the office claimed that "numerous violations of the Law on Press" were the basis for the newspaper's closure, only one official warning had been issued to Pahonya in November 2000, for publishing an appeal by an unregistered non-governmental organization. The Information Ministry, which had issued the warning, later withdrew it. Apparently mindful of the stipulation that a media outlet can be shut down only after two official warnings, the Grodno Prosecutor's Office issued a second warning for publishing materials allegedly insulting of President Lukashenko--the very charges it had brought against the newspaper in the suit earlier. The Belarusian Supreme Economic Court upheld the second warning after Pahonya's editor Mikalai Markevich appealed it, and ruled to shut the newspaper down despite the still open criminal investigation of the matter and the absence of a court decision.

Markevich and Mazheika condemned the trial as politically motivated. Their supporters have said the charges were political retaliation for articles questioning whether Lukashenko played a role in the disappearances of opposition figures. The verdict was coordinated with Alexander Lukashenko who was being informed constantly about the trial," said Markevich, adding that "the law has been raped." "This is a politically motivated case," commented Mazheika. "The court did not consider a single argument to our benefit." The journalists' lawyer, Sergei Tsurko, said they planned to appeal. About 100 people, who gathered outside the court to support the journalists, started chanting "Shame" after the verdict was announced.

In addition to these sentences, reminiscent of the Soviet era, yet another criminal suit was brought against an independent journalist and a lawsuit against an independent newspaper. On June 20, Victor Ivashkevich, editor-in-chief of the Rabochy (Worker) newspaper, was charged on three counts of libel against the president and is facing five years in prison. On June 18, the district court of the city of Zhodino froze the bank account of the Narodnaya Volya (People's Will) newspaper, after two local judges had filed a defamation suit against the publication, demanding 265 million rubles ($1,400) in damages each.

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY DENOUNCES CONVICTION OF JOURNALISTS

In an open letter to Alexander Lukashenko, the International League for Human Rights, condemned the court decision of "guilty" handed down to Pahonya journalists as an unwarranted state interference in the freedom of the media, inconsistent with European democratic practices. This latest crackdown against the few remaining vestiges of free media in Belarus is a fulfillment of President Lukashenko's promise made prior to the presidential elections of September 9, 2001, to "deal with independent press after the ballot." The League urged the Belarusian leader to use the power of his office to drop all criminal charges against Mikalai Markevich, Pavel Mazheika, Victor Ivashkevich and the newspaper Narodnaya Volya. The League called on Lukashenko to allow Pahonya and other independent media outlets to function freely and without fear of persecution, thus honoring the international commitments on freedom of expression to which Belarus is a signatory. (ILHR, June 26)

On June 26, Freimut Duve, the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, denounced the conviction of two Pahonya journalists. "It is my strong belief that journalists should not be prosecuted in a criminal court for what they write," Duve said. "This practice is absolutely unacceptable in an OSCE participating State. We call upon the Belarusian authorities to urgently reconsider this policy and encourage them to repeal the existing slander and libel legislation." The OSCE Media Representative also said that he believed libel laws should not be used to clamp down on opposition representatives and that heads of state should not receive undue protection from media reporting on their activities.

"Belarus remains the only state in Europe where the authorities persecute independent media for political reasons and prosecute journalists for their professional activities," the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) said in a statement. By sentencing two Pahonya's journalists, bringing charges against Viktor Ivashkevich, and freezing bank account of Narodnaya Volya, the Lukashenko government has created a "dangerous precedent which may signal the beginning of a wide-scale war against independent press and journalists." The Belarusian independent journalists believe that the authorities "have openly overstepped any reasonable bounds, ignoring the constitutional rights and liberties of the Belarusian citizens and, first and foremost, the right to freedom of speech." The BAJ urged the authorities to revoke the sentence, stop the criminal prosecution of journalists and opposition members.

"The sentencing of these journalists yet again revealed Belarusian government's inability to tolerate dissent and allow a small independent journalist community to give voice to widely shared concerns about the fate of a series of high-profile 'disappearances' in the country'," Amnesty International said in a statement. The organization urged the Belarusian government to take immediate action to ensure that it fulfils its obligations under various international human rights treaties, particularly those concerning the right of freedom of expression. (www.osce.org)

In an open letter to the Belarusian leader, Article 19, the Global Campaign for Free Expression, strongly urged him to act upon previous recommendations made by Article to abolish criminal defamation provisions and replace them with appropriate civil defamation laws. "In the absence of such reform, serious abuses of freedom of expression will continue to occur in Belarus inviting widespread and legitimate international criticism," concluded Andrew Puddephatt, Executive Director. (Article 19)

"The verdicts against Markevich and Mazheika reinforce the widely held opinion that the Belarusian government is an enemy of free speech and human rights," wrote the Norwegian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights and the Norwegian PEN Center. The organizations urged the Belarusian leadership to drop the charges against the journalists, revoke the decision to close down Pahonya, and ensure that Belarus complies with international norms of freedom of speech which are enshrined in conventions to which Belarus is a partner. In order to answer the concerns of the public and the international community, they further urged Alexander Lukashenko and Viktor Sheiman, Belarusian Prosecutor General, to set up an independent investigation to look into the fate of the four prominent individuals who disappeared in Belarus in 1999 and 2000 ( Norwegian Helsinki Committee for Human Rights, June 25-26)

U.S. CONCERNED ABOUT RESTRAINTS ON FREE EXPRESSION IN BELARUS

On June 20, in his remarks to the Permanent Council in Vienna following a report by OSCE Media Representative Freimut Duve, Amb. Stephen M. Minikes, head of the U.S. mission to the OSCE, said that the United States considers a free press to be "the key to civil society" and is very concerned about "governmental harassment of journalists, obstruction of media, and restraints on freedom of expression in any form." Minikes cited several examples of concern including the conviction of two Belarusian journalists.

Following are excerpts from his statement regarding Belarus:

"Let me reiterate the U.S. condemnation of the use of criminal libel and defamation laws to suppress free speech," Minikes said. "Insult and criminal defamation laws are most often used to punish mere criticism of government policies or public officials, to stifle political discussion, and to squelch news and discussion that governments would rather avoid. In some former communist countries those laws continue to be used to target political opponents of the government."

"We have not forgotten about the independent journalists Dmitry Zavadsky of Belarus or Georgy Gongadze of Ukraine. We continue to call for independent, transparent investigations into these and other such cases."

"All citizens represented around this table deserve no less than a free and independent media, one that will educate and enlighten its people, offer a forum for discussion and allow them to form their own opinions. It is the key to a civilized society, to the rule of law, to democracy, to human dignity and to individual rights."

"Governments must not be allowed to extinguish dissension and pursue censorship under the guise of counter-terrorist activity or as attempts to combat extremism and intolerance. Hate speech should be countered with freedom of speech, and open dialogue."

The US Ambassador called upon all OSCE states to "provide the conditions for all citizens to be able to exercise their fundamental rights of freedom of expression - regardless of ethnicity or political beliefs - and without threat of injury or harassment."

The full text of the statement is located at: http://usinfo.state.gov

EDITOR OF INDEPENDENT WEEKLY ACCUSED OF SLANDERING PRESIDENT

On June 20, in a further blow to Belarus's struggling independent media, the Pervomaisky District Prosecutor's Office of Minsk charged Viktor Ivashkevich, editor of Rabochy, an independent weekly newspaper, with slandering the Belarusian President under Art 367, par. 2, of the Belarusian Penal Code, an offence punishable by up to four years of imprisonment, and with "publicly insulting the President" under Art. 368 par. 1 of the Penal Code, an offence punishable by up to two years in prison.

Ivashkevich said the charges stem from an article titled "Thieves Should Be Put In Jail" which alleged that Lukashenko received illegal income from selling arms, trade duties and allowing the transport of narcotics through Belarusian territory. The article was printed on August 22, 2001, during Lukashenko's presidential campaign, but that week's edition of 39,000 issues was seized by authorities at the printing house. The newspaper was prohibited from reprinting the article on the eve of the September election, which Lukashenko swept in a vote that Western governments criticized as neither free nor fair. The article was later read on Radio-Racyja, an independent Polish-Belarusian radio station, and also became available on the Internet.

"After the election, Lukashenko promised to investigate the independent press in Belarus," Ivashkevich commented. "Now he is doing that." (Viasna Human Rights Center, June 20)

AUTHORITIES FREEZE BANK ACCOUNT OF INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER

With ongoing trials of journalists at several newspapers, the pressure on the remaining independent media in Belarus is growing. On June 18, the bank account of Narodnaya Volya, an independent newspaper, was frozen on the order of District Court Judge Gracheva of the Zhodino, Minsk Region. Iosif Seredich, Narodnaya Volya's editor-in-chief, told Charter 97 Press Center that the court's actions against the newspaper are the result of the defamation charges brought by two local judges.

In one of its issues, Narodnaya Volya carried an article, which, the judges insist, tarnished their reputation. They are seeking BYR 5 million (about $2,825) in moral damages. Seredich points out that under the country's Press Law, the editorial board may not share the author's viewpoint and, therefore, the account was frozen unlawfully. He intends to appeal the ruling. The trail is scheduled for July 29.

The League notes that on June 13, Judge Fedorensky of the Supreme Economic Court turned down the appeal filed by Narodnaya Volya's staff against the warning issued by the Information Ministry. On March 20, in an article titled "The Big Laundry," the newspaper wrote that during his trip to Austria, Alexander Lukashenko open secret bank accounts to launder money from illegal arms smuggling and lucrative privatization deals that are handled by his administration. The Ministry accused the newspaper of violating Art 5 and Art. 32 of the law "On Press and Other Media" because the article "defames the president and misleads the Belarusian citizens." Narodnaya Volya appealed the warning in the Supreme Economic Court on the grounds that the article was not written by the newspaper's journalists but reprinted from the RFE/RL web site. Under Art. 47 of the Press Law, if the information originally appeared in another periodical, the staff of the media outlet, which merely reprinted, it is not responsible for its content.

It was a second warning Narodnaya Volya received within one calendar year. In accordance with Art. 5 of the Press Law, after two warnings, a periodical may be closed by court decision. (Charter 97, June 19 -Viasna Human Rights Center, June 20)

BELARUSIAN AUTHORITIES REFUSE TO HOST OSCE DELEGATION

Amb. Joao de Lima Pimentel of Portugal, the chair of the OSCE Permanent Council, said on June 26 that a delegation including OSCE Secretary General Jan Kubis will travel to Belarus to cool tensions between the Belarusian authorities and the pan-European security body. The official Minsk immediately responded that it does not want to receive the OSCE delegation. "We are aware of their intention [OSCE's representatives'-Ed] to travel to Minsk. But, first, the dates proposed for the visit are not convenient for the Belarusian side, because it is planned the day before a major state holiday," Pavel Latushko, Foreign Ministry spokesman, told journalists. "Second, we believe that if the acting president of the OSCE wants to come here we want to see clear proposals for mending our relations and a willingness to discuss our questions at the OSCE permanent council," he added. "We are in favor of meetings, but this meeting should have an agenda," Latushko said. (Interfax/ Belapan, June 27)

OSCE CRITICIZES LIST OF BANNED AUTHORS

On June 20, in a report to the OSCE Permanent Council, Freimut Duve, OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, strongly criticized the recent statement made by Eduard Skobelev, the editor-in-chief of the Presidential Administration's news bulletin, listing authors who should not be published and read in Belarus. In a mid-May meeting with reporters in Minsk, Skobelev urged state-controlled literary magazines not to publish writers critical of the government, listing among those he termed "politically retarded" such well-known Belarusian writers as Vasil Bykov, Ryhor Baradulin, Nil Gilevich, and Sergei Zakonnikov. Several independent Belarusian web-sites have published similar statements made by Nina Chaika, chief editor of Neman, who was recently named to this post by President Alexander Lukashenko. In an interview to Belarusskaya Gazeta, Chaika declared that she would not allow Vasil Bykov to be published in Neman until he wrote something about the present situation in the country which would be acceptable to the authorities.

"This list is something unheard of in Europe in years," Duve told the OSCE meeting in Vienna. "It represents a dramatic challenge and is unacceptable in an OSCE participating State," the OSCE official added. "In my opinion, intellectuals and writers express their views on the profound occurrences taking place in a country," Duve noted. "And in Belarus, which is undergoing so many historical changes, writers of all types can contribute significantly to a better civil understanding within their nation." (OSCE, June 20)

UNION RIGHTS VIOLATIONS RAMPANT IN BELARUS

On June 18, the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) released its Annual Survey of Trade Union Rights Violations, which labeled Belarus "an unabridged encyclopedia of trade union rights violations." Following are excerpts from the survey regarding Belarus:

"The internationally condemned re-election of President Lukashenko's dictatorial regime in September marked the further intensification of repression to such a level that it has become almost impossible for trade unions to function. Anti-union attitudes hardened when Vladimir Goncharik, head of Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus, decided to run as the opposition candidate in the elections. During 2001, any social dialogue was de facto suspended, foreign grants were prohibited in a wide variety of activities and the ILO condemned the Belarusian government for 'numerous and varied attacks on trade union rights.' The year was crowned in December by the outlawing of the check-off-system for trade union dues. According to United Nations data, 75% of the population now live below subsistence level."

"Workers are actively discouraged from joining independent trade unions. Those who do face continual pressure at the workplace to leave the union or risk losing their jobs. Members of independent trade unions have been arrested for distributing trade union literature, have had materials confiscated and have been denied access to work sites."

The full text of the report is located at: http://www.icftu.org/

UN LABOR MEETING REJECTS BELARUS DELEGATION'S CREDENTIALS

A U.N. labor conference has rejected the credentials of the official delegation of workers from Belarus, basing its decision on undue government interference in trade union activity, a conference report said on June 19. Each of the 175 nations belonging to the International Labor Organization is entitled to send a delegation made up of government, business, and labor representatives. Ordinarily, the acceptance of delegations is a routine matter. This year, however, the conference leadership, which convened on June 2-20, decided against admitting the Belarusian official delegation, following "complaints by the country's independent trade unions and the Brussels-based International Confederation of Free Trade Unions," a statement said. The unions complained that the Lukashenko government had appointed "persons of its own choice" in the delegation and noted earlier complaints over continued violations of trade union rights in the country.

The League notes that on June 11, the Ideological Department of the Lukashenko Administration took the decision to liquidate the Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus. The decision has been condemned by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU). Lukashenko's goal is to replace the country's free trade union with an association of the "government-friendly" company unions. The system would virtual mirror the trade union associations created by multinationals with governmental support in Russia, which were subsequently not recognized by the international trade union movement. The latest move comes in a long line of Lukashenko's decrees which have contravened a host of internationally accepted standards including at least six of the ILO's core conventions on trade union rights.

This June, Belarus was elected as a deputy member of the Governing Body of the ILO. Cautiously welcoming the decision, ICFTU Secretary General Guy Ryder explained that "the country's election to the ILO can be viewed in a positive development, which enables the Belarusian authorities to use this new status as leverage in improving the dire situation of trade union rights in the country." (UN/ ILHR, June 19-20)

- RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN BELARUS -

NEW LAW ON RELIGION FAVORS THE RUSSIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH

On May 31, the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Belarusian parliament, voted on a draft of the Law on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations. The Law now includes a provision protecting the dominant status of the Russian Orthodox Church as the country's "traditional" religion. The provision, added by the deputies to Art. 8, recognizes "the determining role of the Orthodox Church in the formation of spiritual, cultural, and ethnical traditions of the Belarusian people."

A coalition of religious minorities, including Protestants, Muslims and Jews, has called for postponing the second vote on the draft, set for later this month, and for a public discussion on the issue. They say the new law would strengthen the dominating position of the Russian Orthodox Church at the expense of other faiths. "The adoption of this law will make the domination of the Russian Orthodox Church permanent in Belarus and start the wheels of religious genocide turning," Jewish community leader Nikolai Khaskin said. Leaders of four main Protestant denominations, the Baptist Union, the Pentecostal Union, the Full Gospel Association and the Adventist Church, sent a letter to Alexander Lukashenko, expressing their concern that this provision could lead to even closer ties between the Orthodox Church and the state to the detriment of other denominations. Ivan Pashkevich, head of the parliamentary Commission for Human Rights and Mass Media, slammed the provision as a means to give the Russian Orthodox Church a huge advantage in combating "destructive sects."

The deputies also made changes to Art. 15 of the draft. It now stipulates that in order to form an association, a religious denomination is required to have at least ten religious communities that have been functioning in Belarus for at least twenty [instead of original fifteen - Ed.] years. The requirement will preclude many denominations and religions that had only sprung after the breakup of the Soviet Union and still have a limited number of registered communities from forming religious associations.

A new provision inserted by deputies into Art. 25, which allows the citizens to conduct some religious services in private homes, specifies that such services may not be of a "mass or systematic nature." Dina Shavtsova, attorney at a Minsk-based law firm that represents the Full Gospel Pentecostal Church, expressed concern that this provision can be used by the authorities to restrict individuals' religious rights.

Worshippers of the Belarus's 750 Protestant congregations prayed on June 16 for the Belarusian National Assembly to reject the new draft law on religion that minorities fear could become a tool for government persecution, said Ales Velichko, spokesman for the Union of Evangelical Christians. He said 30 to 40 percent of Belarusian Protestant congregations would not be able to re-register under the law, since they have less than 20 people.

Sergei Kostyan, one of the ardent supporters of the draft law, said the law was necessary "to put up a barrier against all these Western preachers who just creep into Belarus and imperil our Slavic values." (Keston News Service/ Belapan, June 17)

BELARUSIAN LEGISLATURE APPROVES CONTENTIOUS RELIGION LAW

On June 27, the Lukashenko parliament adopted a law on religion that enshrines the Russian Orthodox Church's dominant role and sharply limits the activities of religions that have been present in Belarus for less than 20 years. On June 26, the deputies decided to postpone the second reading of a controversial religion law until autumn session, amid fears that criticism against it by minority faiths could lead to protests in the country. However, the next morning parliamentary leaders managed to get enough supporters to put the bill back on the agenda. It passed by a vote of 85-2. The deputies acknowledged that the bill would create tensions but declined responsibility for the initiative, pointing the finger instead at the Orthodox Church.

"There was unprecedented pressure on the deputies," said lawmaker Olga Abramova, who walked out of the session during the vote. She said Metropolitan Filaret, the Russian Orthodox Church's leader in Belarus, had personally invited some deputies to his residence to show them a documentary titled "Expansion," that showed Protestant churches in a negative way.

The law's sponsors maintained that the new legislation will avert the threat posed by "extremist sects." The state "wants to cooperate with those organizations which have the most spiritual and cultural impact" on Belarusians, Valery Lipkin of the country's official human rights and national relations commission said in defending the new law.

On June 25, the U.S. Embassy in Minsk condemned a new religion law which, it fears, will become a means for government to further oppress minority faiths. The law allows Belarusian authorities to decide which religions are "nontraditional," and "contradicts international principles of religious freedom and human rights," the Embassy said in the statement. The law also bans organized prayer except by registered religious communities of at least 20 Belarusian citizens. It prohibits religions that have been present in the
country for less than 20 years from publishing literature or setting up missions. Under the law, a government approval is required for all religious publications before distribution [see Belarus Update Vol. 5, No. 23- 25].

A coalition of religious minorities - including Protestants, Muslims and Jews- announced on June 27 their immediate intention to appeal to Lukashenko to veto the new law. They say the law strengthens the dominating position of the Russian Orthodox Church at the expense of other faiths. Protestant leaders said the law "will take the country back to totalitarian times, when the state enforced ideological monopoly by destroying those who disagreed." Arthur Livshitz, a Jewish community leader, said the law "ignores national and religious traditions," since a Jewish community "can be formed with 10 members only." He noted that most Belarus Jews were exterminated by Nazis during World War II, with the result that many locations had fewer than 20 Jewish families. (Belapan/ AFP, June 27)

AUTHORITIES HINDER EVANGELICAL RELIGIONS

The Belarusian authorities continue to prevent the growth of evangelical communities in the country and to restrict the activities of religious workers in an attempt to protect Russian Orthodoxy, Ales Velichko, spokesman for the Union of Evangelical Christians, told Interfax on June 26. Over 200 Evangelical communities remain unregistered, he said. Most of them are active in villages populated by a few hundred people. The Religious Affairs Committee recently rejected an application for registration filed by the Evangelical communities in the villages of Molchad and Kolbovichi, saying that registration was denied based on recommendations from the local regional executive committees and because the communities do not have enough members. Without registration, many of these groups find it difficult, if not impossible, to rent or purchase property to conduct religious services. (Interfax, June 20)

-BROTHER SLAVS-

LUKASHENKO SLAMS PUTIN FOR CRITICISM OF UNION PLANS

On June 18, Alexander Lukashenko lashed out at Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of insulting the Belarusian people when he poured cold water on plans for a Russia-Belarus union. [On June 13, the Russian President said he was strongly against restoring another Soviet Union, adding that Russia didn't want to be burdened by the weak Belarusian economy. -Ed]. "We have often witnessed attempts to drive a wedge between Belarus and Russia," Lukashenko said in televised remarks. "Nobody has said anything about suggesting something like the Soviet Union." The Belarusian leader also said that during his talks with Putin on June 11 in St. Petersburg, Putin suggested making Belarus the 90th region of Russia. "We are not going to be any northwestern or northeastern edge of any country," Lukashenko assured his compatriots. "Belarus is an independent state with all the attributes of sovereignty."

The Belarusian opposition leaders consider the cold shower from Moscow's public diplomacy a positive sign. Nikolai Statkevich, chair of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party or Narodnaya Hramada, told Belapan that Putin will not agree to the introduction of the post of union vice president that the Belarusian leader reportedly is seeking. "Lukashenko has exploited Russia's assistance, which was rendered in accordance with a pattern: Russian oil for Belarusian kisses. Now, the economic bluff comes to an end," Statkevich added.

"Putin has most likely had enough of pandering to the Belarusian president's fancies," commented Stanislav Shushkevich, a former Belarusian president and a leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada.

"Putin has made a strategic choice in favor of democracy and market economy while Lukashenko still favors the restoration of the Soviet Union," said Anatoly Lebedko, chair of the United Civic Party. (Interfax/ Belapan, June 19 - RFE/RL, June 14)

RUSSIA, BELARUS: THE END OF AFFAIR?

Lukashenko was looking more isolated than ever on June 21 after a dramatic falling out with his most powerful ally, Russia's President Putin, wrote The Daily Telegraph on June 22. Tension between the two men has burst into the open with Putin pouring scorn on Lukashenko's pet project, the reunification of their two countries into a single state.

The planned reunification smacked of an attempt to resurrect the Soviet Union, the Russian president said. And he brutally reminded the Belarusians that their economy's size was only three per cent that of Russia's. "Let's keep the rissoles and the flies separate," Putin said. The rhetoric has been widely interpreted as signaling the end of the reunification project and the beginning of the end for Lukashenko. His eccentric antics, anti-western tirades and declarations of love for Russia have suited Moscow until now but his appetite for charity has finally exasperated his chief benefactor.

On June 22, Boris Yeltsin, Russia's president when the union was mooted six years ago, met the frustrated Belarusian leader in Minsk but his mediation failed to heal the damage. Stung by disparaging remarks about the reunification plans from Putin, Lukashenko complained that he and his country were being cast in the role of parasites on their giant neighbor to the east. "We have been accused of being a burden on Russia, a burden that wants to solve its domestic problems at Russia's expense," Lukashenko raged. "Now we have heard it at the highest level. Good. Now we know the Russian leadership's position." The outburst followed straight talking from Putin more devastating than anything Lukashenko's numerous Western critics have permitted themselves.

At the end of the Yeltsin era, reunification appeared to have turned into a vehicle for Lukashenko's personal ambitions and his route to power in the Kremlin. Putin's shift towards an open alliance with the West after last September's terrorist attacks on the US have now turned Lukashenko and his posturing into an embarrassment for Russia.
On June 24, speaking at a rare press conference at the Kremlin, Putin said that if Russia and Belarus wanted a union, then he favored merging them into a single country with a single government and parliament. The Russian president said he was willing to study whether Russia and Belarus could form a union based on the European Union, with specific powers delegated to a supranational parliament. (Belapan/ The Daily Telegraph/ News Bulletin/ Kommersant Daily, June 21-26)

- AT HOME IN BELARUS-

IRANIAN PARLIAMENTARY SPEAKER VISITS BELARUS

On June 19-21, Mehdi Karroubi, Iranian parliamentary speaker, visited Belarus to boost cooperation between the two countries. The Iranian guest held meetings with Alexander Lukashenko, representatives of the Belarusian National Assembly and visited a number of industrial enterprises, including BelOmo, an optical company that produces military optical systems. Karroubi's visit followed a trip to Belarus by Ahmad Masjed Jame'ei, Iranian Minister of Culture, and the trip of Gennady Nevyglas, Belarusian Security Council Secretary, to Iran. Later this year, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, plans to meet with Lukashenko in Minsk.

The authoritarian Belarusian leader, who is scorned in the West for his authoritarian ways and crackdown on dissent, has pursued strong ties with countries such as Iran, Iraq and Libya, which the United States and other western countries have accused of abetting terrorism. Earlier this year, U.S. officials threatened to implement sanctions against Belarus for alleged arms sales to countries or groups sponsoring terrorism. Belarusian officials have vehemently denied the accusations. (Interfax/ Svaboda, June 19)

KGB OFFICIAL FALLS TO HIS DEATH FROM HOTEL BALCONY

Igor Golubev, head of a KGB department, died after falling from a ninth-floor balcony of a hotel in Mogilev, where he arrived to take part in a seminar for management of state agencies, chaired by Lukashenko. The KGB press service alleged that Golubev, who was said to be sober at the moment of the tragedy, "most likely" lost his balance due to a "sudden deterioration of his health." [Western wire services reported a story that he had fallen while attempting to catch some papers. The death is apparently not being investigated-Ed.] (Radio Racyja, June 20)

- UPCOMING EVENTS

July 6-10, OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Berlin, Germany.

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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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