Belarusians protest against political terror and kidnappings (Photo, video)

• 16.12.2009, 18:26

An action of protest against kidnapping of opposition leaders in Belarus and in sign of solidarity with political prisoners was held in Minsk center on December 16. The call “Kidnappers Must Go to The Hague!” was heard on October square.

About 70 people gathered on October square in Minsk in spite of very cold weather (-20 °C). These are activists of the civil campaign “European Belarus”, “Young Front”, “BPF Youth” and ordinary Minsk dwellers. Famous people were standing with portraits of political prisoners, among them were leader of “European Belarus” Andrei Sannikov, one of the leaders of the BPF party Lyavon Barshcheuski, member of the Supreme Council of the 13th convocation Valer Shchukin, youth leaders Yauhen Afnahel, Paval Yukhnevich, Artur Finkevich, Aleh Ladutska, Uladzimir Lemesh, Maksim Vinyarski, famous journalist Iryna Khalip, heads of Belarus Free Theatre Natallya Kalyada and Mikalai Khalezin, democratic activist Vyachaslau Siuchyk, leader of Minsk entrepreneurs Alyaksandr Makaeu and other people.

Youth activists organized a fire performance and crossed the square with the torch shouting “Long Live Belarus!” and “Freedom to Political Prisoners!” The participants of the rally held portraits of political prisoners Mikalai Autukhovich, Uladzimir Asipenka, and Artsyom Dubski, missing opposition leaders Viktar Hanchar and Yury Zakharanka, businessman and public figure Anatol Krasouski and journalist Zmitser Zavadski, as well as posters “No to Political Terror!”, “Kidnappers Must Go to The Hague” and national white-red-white flags.

A lot of militiamen and officers of secret services in mufti were guarding the square. Some militiamen in uniform were constantly announcing through megaphones that the rally was unauthorized and its participants could be brought to administrative responsibility. Militiamen even made a Freudian slip – instead of “your actions are unlawful” they said “your demands are unlawful”.

Demonstrators were shouting their demands very loudly without pauses: “Freedom to Political prisoners!” and “No to Political Terror!”

“If we do not protest now, kidnappings won’t be so short. We must remember what happened to Viktar Hanchar, Yury Zakharanka, Anatol Krasouski, and Zmitser Zavadski. Only protest and solidarity of Belarusians and international community are able to stop crimes of the regime. It is very dangerous now to try not to pay attention to human rights problems in Belarus and outrage here. I am happy to see people who have come to the square despite severe frost. This shows that the Belarusian society is able to protest,” leader of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Andrei Sannikov told in an interview to charter97.org.

“Those who kidnapped and left in forest Yauhen Afnahel, Zmitser Dashkevich, Artur Finkevich, Uladzimir Lemesh think they can intimidate the rest, but they are mistaken. The rally today was a demonstration of our solidarity; it showed we are not afraid of dirty tricks of the regime. We are together and I hope we are able to resist this fascism,” well-known journalist Iryna Khalip said.

“We have come to square because we understand we cannot but come here. There are moments when you realize you must do something in order your children have a safe life in your country. Kidnapping in Belarus has been lasting since 1999; this must be stopped. Otherwise, this process will gain momentum,” head of Belarus Free Theatre Mikalai Khalezin thinks.

“Today, as every 16th day of a month since 2005, we have come to the square to demonstrate our solidarity with the victims of repressions. Some youth activists have recently been kidnapped and taken to forest. These youth leaders always attend solidarity actions and show how people should resist the lawlessness. They were kidnapped in the same way as Hanchar, Krasouski, and Zavadski. It seems that the authorises are trying to tell us: “Everyone can be taken to the woods, intimidated, and even shot”. But they cannot stop us. We will go to the end.

The Belarusians should consolidate themselves against kidnappings. If the authorities see there are many of us, they will be afraid to commit crimes. Constant demands to investigate the kidnappings 10 years ago have given results – we are not murdered at least now,” Maksim Vinyarski, an activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus”, noted.

“I have come to square because I do not want among disappeared persons. Nobody can feel safe in our country. I may face the same situation tomorrow. I do not have an opportunity to visit Minsk often, but it is my duty to take part in actions of solidarity when I am here. I am a free person. I have never been and won’t be a slave. As it is said, “Better to die on your feet than live forever on your knees”. We can win only if we are together, only if we react to every attempt on somebody’s life. Protesting against actions of the authorities, I am saving my children and grandchildren,” human rights activist Valer Shchukin, a member of the Supreme Council of the 13th convocation, told charter97.org.

We remind that cases of kidnapping have become more frequent in Belarus. On December 5, leader of “Young Front” Zmitser Dashkevich was kidnapped. Unknown people held him in a car for 5.5 hours and allowed him to get out of the car 70 kilometres away from Minsk. On December 6, “European Belarus” activist Yauhen Afnahel was kidnapped. He was left 20 kilometres away from Minsk. Activist of “European Belarus” Uladzimir Lemesh was taken out of town a week before those events. Unknown people beat him and demanded that he should stop his political activity. 6 youth activists have been kidnapped this year. Oppositionists suppose the abductions were organized by the secret services.