General Zakharanka abducted in Belarus would have turned 57

• 6.01.2009, 17:44

On January 4 the former Interior Minister of Belarus Yury Zakharanka would have turned 57. The politician disappeared without traces in 1999. High-ranking Belarusian officials are suspected of being implicated in the abduction.

As we have informed, the former Interior Minister and one of opposition leaders Yury Zakharanka went missing in May 1999. Many people in Belarus and abroad believe that he was abducted on political reasons, and possibly assassinated. The Belarusian authorities state that investigation hasn’t been finished yet, and reasons of Zakharanka’s abduction and his whereabouts are unknown.

The international community believes that high-ranked Belarusian officials: in particular, minister of internal affaires Uladzimir Navumau, former Security Council secretary Viktar Sheiman, former interior minister Yury Sivakou and commander of special troops Dzmitry Paulichenka -- are implicated in abductions of Yury Zakharanka and other leaders of Belarusian opposition.