Two years on and the grip tightens on basic freedoms in Belarus
On 19 December 2010, following a presidential poll during which Alyaksandr
Lukashenka was elected for a fourth term as President of Belarus, 30,000
protesters gathered in central Minsk to demand a second round of elections.
The demonstration, the biggest ever witnessed in Belarus, was peaceful until at
about 10pm, a group of masked young men, who many believed to be provocateurs,
called on the crowd to storm Government House and started to break windows.
Shortly afterwards, riot police moved in and violently cleared the
demonstrators from the square. Many protestors and bystanders were beaten.
More than 700 people, most of them peaceful participants and bystanders, were
detained.
Most of them were charged with violating the regulations for public gatherings
and were sentenced to 10 – 15 days’ imprisonment.
However, six of the seven opposition presidential candidates, many leading
journalists and opposition activists were charged with criminal offences
including “organizing mass disorder” and “grossly violating public order” and
were sentenced to prison terms of up to six years.
Two years on and six people remain in prisons and labour colonies for their
connection to these events, others are still serving suspended sentences and
live under constant surveillance and travel restrictions, and some are now in
exile.
Those who are imprisoned face conditions that amount to torture and other
ill-treatment. Andrei Sannikau, who ran as a Presidential candidate in the
elections as candidate of the European Belarus Campaign, was released in April
this year on a Presidential pardon.
He described the pressure he was subjected to during his detention as torture.
“They try not to touch you physically, but they put you through extreme
conditions,” he reported.
He was held in solitary confinement recorded on 24 hour video. He was also
sentenced to periods in the punishment cell, where in one case the temperature
never rose about 8 degrees centigrade and his warm clothing was deliberately
removed.
In addition, Andrei Sannikau described how the guards tried to isolate him from
other prisoners: “They create a vacuum around you. They make you feel guilty by
punishing people who speak to you.”
Another form of psychological pressure is to subject prisoners to frequent
transfers from one establishment to another during which time they are held for
long periods in railway carriages and temporary accommodation cells, and may be
subjected to threats and intimidation by other prisoners.
Zmitser Bandarenka, served 16 months in pre-trial detention and subsequently in
prison colonies before being released through a presidential pardon in April
this year. He was convicted for walking in the road during the demonstration.
He also paid a $40 fine for disrupting the bus service during the
demonstration.
He described a regime of constant threats: “Threats of rape were constant. I
was told ‘You will become a Petukh (lowest rank of the prison hierarchy, a
prisoner used for sexual services)’. …. The tensions were constantly there…. I
was internally prepared for death.”
Zmitser Dashkevich, a leader of the Young Front organization, was sentenced to
two years on 24 March 2011 and has been subjected to constant transfers, which
often lasted up to 10 days and during which time his family lawyer were not
kept informed about his whereabouts.
Some opposition activists continue to serve suspended sentences for their
involvement in the events. Alexander Feduta, a poet and philologist, was
working in the campaign team of opposition candidate Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu and
sentenced to a two-year suspended sentence for “actions grossly disturbing
public order”.
That’s despite the fact he had not been present at all during the demonstration
as he was guarding the campaign office.
Alexander Feduta spent 55 days in solitary confinement during his time in
pre-trial detention in the famous KGB detention centre, Amerikanka, in Minsk.
“There are some things that I am grateful for. In solitary confinement you have
to talk to somebody and you invent people to talk to. I wrote letters to my
wife, and I wrote her poetry,” he said.
Alexander Feduta now lives under constant surveillance and a travel ban:
“It is very hard knowing you are not free. Earlier it was theoretical – you may
live in an unfree country, but you could get on a plane and fly to London or
Moscow. Now I know I can’t do this…..the idea of an unfree country has become
concrete.”
Those serving suspended sentences face possible imprisonment if they receive
more than two warning for violating the terms of their sentence.
Alexander Feduta received his first warning after he travelled to Russia to
register for his doctoral studies at the University of Tver in Russia.
Mykalau Statkevich, who ran as an independent opposition presidential candidate
was sentenced to six years’ hard labour on 26 May 2011 for “organizing mass
disorder”, and remains in prison.
In January 2012, he was transferred from Penal Colony No. 17 in Shklou, where
he had worked in a saw mill, to the stricter regime of Prison No. 4 in Mahiliou
for allegedly violating the penal colony rules.
The authorities there also claimed Statkevich was inclined towards violence and
liable to attempt escape. From 6 July to 16 July 2012 he was put in the
punishment cell allegedly for refusing to request a Presidential pardon.
Marina Adamovich, his wife, has the right to one visit of up to four hours per
year, and one phone call a month.
“These calls are always unexpected even though I am constantly waiting for
them,” she said.
“Last time the lawyer warned me but it was still a shock. You talk about
unimportant things – he tries to say that he is fine or tries to pass on
information that is important for other prisoners… It is a sea of emotion and
enormous joy.”
Amnesty International continues to call for the unconditional release of
Mykalau Statkevich, Pavel Sevyarynets, Eduard Lobau and Zmitser Dashkevich who
are still serving prison sentences in connection with the events of 19 December
2010.
The organization calls on Belarus to amend its Criminal Code to include the
crime of torture, and to establish independent monitoring of places of
detention.
The organization also calls for all restrictions against those sentenced for
exercising their right to freedom of expression and assembly to be lifted.