CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February 18, 2002
read the details at www.charter97.org/e/index.phtml
----------------------------------------------------------------
THREE YEARS OF JAIL  LIKELY VERDICT FOR WEARING LUKASHENKAS MASK
ON-LINE ACTION IN SUPPORT OF THE ZUBR YOUTH MOVEMENT
Unprecedented for Belarus court proceedings are taking place these days in Shklov.
Five guys may get three years of jail for wearing masks of the Europes last
dictator. The authorities continue the harassment of ZUBRs since August last
year when Mikhail Kiselev, Maksim Potapchik, Alyaxandar Pavlovich, Denis Senokosov
and Dmitry Shalashkov held an action Time to clean up! in the village of Gorodets
(once presided by Lukashenka). The blokes wore mustached masks upon their faces
and visited local stores, electioneering for the incumbent by promising the customers
$100 salaries, price-decrease, prison bars for all thieves, entrepreneurs and
all those, who wont vote for their countryman. The performance was thwarted
by police, who recognized whose image was on the masks.
In February the young ZUBRs stood trial and learnt their potential punishment
 three years of jail for insulting the president of Belarus (art.368 of the
Criminal Code). Before that we propose to all Charter97 web-sites visitors
to send their letters of protest to Alyaxandar Lukashenkas official site. This
can be done through filling out the below-mentioned form or sending an analogous
message directly from Lukashenkas official site http://srv.president.gov.by/rus/president/mail.shtml
----------------------------------------------------------------
WIVES OF REPRESSED OPPOSITIONISTS TURN TO LITHUANIAN PARLIAMENT FOR HELP
Wives of the Belarusian public figures, who passed away or vanished under mysterious
circumstances or else are serving their jail terms now, contacted the Lithuanian
parliamentarians. Could we ask you to hold in the parliamentary commission for
human rights hearings on the issue of disappearances, deaths and imprisonment
of the Belarusian political figures?  reads the address to the Lithuanian MPs,
signed by six wives of the repressed Belarusian opposition members. The ladies
plead with the Lithuanians to set up an independent international commission
to investigate into the circumstances of their husbands disappearances and deaths.
We are fully convinced that the solution of the true causes of vanishings and
murders of our loved ones is solely possible after the impartial investigation,
 reads the letter. The document also confirms that in September 1999 they abducted
the Interior Minister Yuri Zakharenko, deputy 13th Supreme Soviet speaker Viktor
Gonchar, businessman Anatoly Krasovsky and in July 2000  ORT cameraman Dmitry
Zavadsky.
----------------------------------------------------------------
LETTER IN PAGONYAS SUPPORT
Dozens of journalists and public figures of Grodno put their signatures under
the open letter to the regions prosecutor Vassily Litvinov. The signatories
plead with the prosecutor to give his own civil evaluation of the potential
legal persecution of journalists Pavel Mozheiko and Nikolai Markevich. The signatories
are convinced that the two men are no criminals but honest people with active
civil positions, patriots of Belarus. These peoples persecution is an anti-state
affair. It discredits Belarus and its law-enforcement bodies in the eyes of the
international community. The signatories refuse to cease legal action against
the journalists, opened for alleged libeling of Lukashenka, writes Nasha Niva.
----------------------------------------------------------------
SECRETARIES OF THE SECURITY COUNCILS OF RUSSIA, UKRAINE, BELARUS AND POLAND TO
MEET IN KHARKIV
Ukraine.ru
The first of the four quadrilateral meetings of the secretaries of the Security
Councils of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Poland in scheduled for February 19-20
in Kharkiv, the press service of the Security Council of Russia has informed
on Monday. As said by the representatives of the Russian Federation SC, the questions
of fight with international terrorism, organized criminality, illegal migration
are to be discussed, as well as issues of cooperation in economical and energy
spheres. After these talks Vladzimir Rushailo plans to visit Kyiv, where he is
to meet Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma. The visit ends on February 22.
----------------------------------------------------------------
INTERPRETATION OF JUSTICE BY OFFICIAL MOGILEV
BDG
The Mogilev police carried out an investigation into the activities of the head
of the Slavgorod police, lieutenant-colonel Boldyshevsky upon the outcomes of
the examination, held by the regional procuracy. The investigation over, they
charged the lieutenant-colonel with partial unfitness for job. This fact never
surprised anyone, nor did it make anybody happy. Simply because only a few people
in Slavgorod knew about it, one being the man himself.
The scandalous story, which occurred in Slavgorod last summer, was fully covered
by BDG in its publication Pure sheriff (of February 13, 2001). Back then
the law-enforcers from the district department addressed the BHC and the BDG
over two amoral acts, allegedly committed by Boldyshevsky  seizure of money,
collected by the policemen for the family of their drowned mate and the money
for buying presents to the retiring officers. The militiamen also recalled other
wrongdoings by their boss: systematic misuse of official transport for his own
sake, attempts at sexual harassment of his subordinates wives etc.
All these facts were practically proved during the examination of facts by the
Mogilev regional procuracy. Detective Zdrok was astonished at learning that the
policemen from the Slavgorod station refuse to mention their names. They agreed
to step out of the shadow not until the Interior Ministry or the procuracy itself
takes over the investigation. They explained their fears by saying that the sheriff
has high connections in the regional procuracy and police and is thus likely
to preserve the post, whereas the complainers will be in no time fired.
The Interior Ministry shortly reported that the head of the Slavgorod police
station was notified of his partial unfitness for the job. The concomitant order
had never been made known to the stations enlisted personnel though. Meantime,
they dismissed from the Slavgorod police two law-enforcers, who contacted us
with their request. So, it appears that they only personally warned the violator
and sacked those who pointed at the power abuse. Thats real justice as viewed
by the official Mogilev.
----------------------------------------------------------------
TORTURERS FIND PERPETRATORS OF CRIMES?
Dyen
The Interior Ministry has recently given a high evaluation to the activities
of its Grodno police department for alleged high percentage of resolved crimes.
Meantime, in a chase for the plans fulfillment the law-enforcers dont scruple
to use any means, even hurting the interests and the very health of their citizens.
Musician Oleg Mozheiko addressed Grodno BHC affiliate, saying that on January
25 he had been detained in the street by police and taken to the police station.
There they asked Oleg: Wheres the equipment?. After he said Dont know he
received a heavy blow at his back. The operative repeated the same question over
and over again, each time beating the musician on his back or head. When the
law-enforcers noticed an earring in the musicians ear, they called him gay,
threatened with rape and demanded to get undressed. Oleg categorically refused
to do so.
January 28 night the four policemen in civil uniforms delivered to the police
station in Telmana str. 9 an under-aged son of Elena Drob. When in police the
law-enforcers threatened him with physical annihilation and rape in a perverted
form. The boy pleaded with them to inform him parents about his detention, but
the policemen never did that. The parents learnt about the incident from one
of their acquaintances. The inspector, who let the boy go with his parents, demanded
that they bring a reference on their son from his school tutor and call in for
a conversation with the police next week.
At night January 29 three plain-clothed men detained Dmitry Gorshanov and Olga
Savchuk upon their return from the concert, held in the club Kletka. Both people
were brought to the Leninsky police station. They searched Dmitry and started
the talk about the stolen equipment. Dmitry had nothing to tell them and so they
picked up handcuffs, gas mask and ropes, saying to him: So what did you say
about police arbitrariness?. They laid Dmitry on the floor, attached rubber
bands to his hands, placed the cuffs upon them and tied his legs to a chair.
On the chair sat a law-enforcer who thoroughly watched that there were no bruises
left under the handcuffs. The second law-enforcer put a gas mask on Dmitrys
face.
----------------------------------------------------------------
RUSSIAN BALTIKA FILES LAWSUIT VS MINSK KRYNITSA BREWERY
Gazeta.ru
Russian beer company Baltika addressed the international commercial arbitrage
court of the Russian Trade Industrial Chamber over the lawsuit against the Minsk
Krynitsa brewery, reports Baltikas office.
As previously reported, on February 13 Baltikas leadership claimed its determination
to open legal action, given the Belarusian government fails to compensate to
the company its investments into the reconstruction of the Minsk Krynitsa plant
worth $10mln. Initially Baltika was supposed to purchase 50% plus one share
of the Belarusian plant. In summer 2001 Baltika embarked on Krynitsas modernization.
The company obtained equipment worth over $10mln. Having received no response
from the Belarusian government, Baltika in early 2002 halted investing her
capitals into the brewerys reconstruction. Such measures were caused by the
fact that the government of Belarus never signed the ruling on selling to Baltika
50% plus one Krynitsas shares, currently owned by the state.
At the moment Krynitsas statutory fund constitutes 13,9bln rubles. The personnels
share in this fund amounts to 19,43%, while the states  80,57%.
----------------------------------------------------------------
ALEJNIKAU STAYS IN PRE-TRIAL DETENTION CENTER
The term of incarceration of the director of the stadium Tractor Vasil Alejnikau
who was detained during receiving a bribe of 1,000 USD, was made longer for two
months. He was one of the first accused in the new series of the loud trials
that started in the end of the last year. On February 15 three months have passed
from his arrest.
Before Alejnikau s arrest a tension between him and the firm Boles, reconstructing
the stadium Tractor, had started. On November 15 the representatives of this
firm came to Alejnikau and asked him to continue cooperation, but he refused.
As said by Alejniaus wife, Halina, after the talk a man entered the office,
and saying This money is for you, put something into Alejnikaus pocket, and
then ran out of the office. Right after that policemen with video camera entered
the office. Vasil Alejnikau believes that it all was prearranged.
Today Alejnikau is placed in the pre-trial detention center in Valadarsky Str.
He is accused on charges relating to Article 430 Part 2 (bribery of a large sum
of money). Alejnikaus lawyer Natalia Akudina will be able to study the materials
of the case only after the investigation, which is prolonged for two more months.
As Halina Alejnikava says, in the time of imprisonment her husband has lost weight
greatly, and his chronicle diseases have become acute.
----------------------------------------------------------------
FTU DUE TO FIX NATIONAL PROTEST DATE
The date of the national workers protest in Belarus is most likely to be set
at the session of the Belarusian Free Trade Union councils presidium, preliminarily
scheduled for February 21. The most likely date of holding the action is believed
to be March 21. This news was announced at a February 15 press-conference in
the FTU press-center by deputy chair of the Federation of trade unions Nikolai
Belanovsky, who commented on the outcomes of the session of the chairmen of trade
union committees and leading enterprises of Minsk, leaders of regional and industrial
trade union affiliates and members of the FTU councils presidium.
----------------------------------------------------------------
PRICES CLIMB 1,6% UPHILL OVER FIRST WEEK OF FEBRUARY
According to the Ministry of statistics and analysis, over the first week of
February the consumer prices in the country rose by 1,6%. For comparison: during
the first week of January the prices went 1,9% up, while during the analogous
period in February 2001  0,9%. Since the beginning of this year the consumer
prices in Belarus rose by 7,8% (by 5,7% in the same period last year). In 2002
the government and the National Bank are expecting a 20-27% price-increase.
----------------------------------------------------------------
ONE MORE TV CHANNEL FOR LUKASHENKA
Lenta.ru
The second national TV channel will be launched in Belarus, as A. Lukashenka
has signed a corresponding decree. The decree of the head of the state published
on Saturday stipulates that the founders of the channel are the state and a number
of juridical persons. In the fund of the joint-stock company the state is to
own51% of shares. The state shares will be administered by the Ministry of Information.
Lukashenkas press services special statement on this occasion informs that
more than 50 TV and radio companies work in the country, but there is only one
national channel embracing the whole country. Lukashenkas administration opinion
is that the second TV channel would create competition in the sphere of television.
----------------------------------------------------------------
USA CONCERNED BY BELARUS ARMS DELIVERY TO TERRORISTS
On February 16 a delegation of the Chamber of Representatives of the USA Congress
including James Sexton (head of the delegation, Congressman from 1984, Republican,
elected from New Jersey), Ronald Lewis (Congressman from 1994, Republican, elected
from Kentucky) and Bernard Sanders (independent Congressman from 1990 elected
from Vermont), visited Minsk with a five-hours visit.
The aim of the visit was meeting with the leadership of Belarus in connection
with the publications in the press on the vending arms to the countries that
support terrorism. 15 minutes before the take-off in the National Airport Minsk
James Sexton has made a statement for the press. Here is the full text of the
statement:
Today we together with Congressmen Sanders and Lewis had visited Belarus, to
express our deep concern on the occasion of numerous reports from different reliable
sources (including mass media and other official sources), stating that Belarus
takes part in arms trade with the states and persons that support terrorism,
and, probably, about military training of persons connected with these states
or groups. Today we have discussed this problem with the Minister of Foreign
Affairs Khvastou, Defense Minister Maltsau and State Secretary of the Security
Council Niavyglas. During the meeting with these officials we as representatives
of the US Congress declared that we take seriously the information on arms trade
or on links with states or organizations that support terrorism. As Belarus is
one of the leading suppliers of arms on the world market, we called the officials
to take measures that would make the Belarusian system of arms trade, military
training and its funding transparent, that would guarantee that the arms sold
is not conveyed to terrorists and not achieved by them in other way. Belarusian
officials, with whom we had meetings, expressed their willingness to participate
in creation of a mechanism of the control all over the world. Creation of such
a mechanism would be a measure that would ensure a step forward in the normalization
of relations between Belarus and the USA.
It is worth mentioning that the American Congressmen during their visit had not
met any opposition member or independent expert. James Sexton, Ronald Lewis and
Bernard Sanders met only representatives of the authorities.
----------------------------------------------------------------
ALYAXANDAR CHYHIRS ATTORNEYS ACCUSE JUDGE OF ONE-SIDEDNESS
In the court of the Lenin district of Minsk the court continues to consider the
case of Alyaxandar Chyhir, a son of the former prime minister of Belarus, and
Anton Yashyn, Zmitser Yutskevich. On February 15 the victims were questioned
and some material evidence examined. An experienced welder has also made a statement.
His evidence disproved the findings of the investigators. As said by the welder,
the seams of the allegedly stolen car that the expert by mistake had examined,
were made on the plant. It means that the examination was useless.
In this connection the defense lodged an appeal about additional examination,
but the court declined it. The defense also petitioned to examine the material
evidence, including Ford Transit, allegedly stolen by the accused, but this petition
was declined either. Finally, the defense had filed objection to the judge Syarhei
Khypach presiding on court, in connection with his bias. But this petition was
declined as well.
----------------------------------------------------------------
COURT REFUSES TO CONNECT ZAVADSKYS ABDUCTION WITH OTHER OPPOSITIONISTS DISAPPEARANCES
The lawyers of the defendants in the case of the Ihnatovichs group consider
that the responsibility of their clients was not proved and at the last hearing
asked the court to acquit them of all points of the indictment. The representative
of the mother of Zmitser Zavadsky, ORT cameraman, whom the group of Ihnatovich
allegedly abducted, Ihar Aksionchyk, still continues to insist that Valery Ihnatovich
and Maxim Malik are guilty of the Zavadskys abduction. However, they are just
executors, and the main persons behind has escaped responsibility. The attempts
of the attorney to connect the case of abduction with disappearances of prominent
Belarusian politicians, Yuri Zakharanka, Viktar Hanchar and Anatol Krasousky,
in the context of the information that appeared in the mass media before the
elections, where interrupted by the presiding in the court.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CHARTER'97 BELARUS NEWS UPDATE
February 18, 2002
read the details at www.charter97.org/e/index.phtml