Cases of the missing persons must not be dropped
The investigation into the cases of the
missing politicians, which has lasted for 14 years, failed to
establish the circumstances of their disappearance and the
protractors. Meanwhile, the time limitation on these cases ends in a
year. After 2014 the authorities can without a qualm of conscience
state they "have done everything possible, but the bodies of the
missing and the people guilty of their disappearance haven't been
found".
On 12 February representatives of political
parties and NGOs gathered to work out a single strategy of actions
which would prevent the closure of the cases of the secret lynching
of the former Minister of Interior Yury Zakharanka, politician Viktar
Hanchar, businessman Anatol Krasouski and journalist Dzmitry
Zavadski. Nothing is known about their fates so far. According to
unofficial information, they became victims of a "death
squadron".
The lawyer Hary Pahaniaila told the
participants of the round table "No time limitation for cases of
the missing" that the relatives of the missing persons and their
official representatives had prepared a petition to the Prosecutor
General asking to extend the investigation into these cases. However,
it is just a small part of the work which needs to be done to find
the truth.
"We need to restore all possible judicial and
political mechanisms to make the authorities do anything, or,
otherwise, to evidently show the society that the authorities are in
sh*t over head and ears", said Mr. Pahaniaila.
Various
proposals have been issued concerning the further steps in this
direction. The human rights defender Liudmila Hraznova considers that
it is difficult to achieve something by legal instruments alone: it
is also necessary to appeal to the people's minds in order to change
the social attitude to the issue of the missing politicians, change
the situation in the country and image of the opposition itself.
The
deputy head of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Valiantsin
Stefanovich singled out three main spheres of activities:
-
legal actions within the framework of the national legislation;
international actions, including
appeals to the UN Special Rapporteur on Belarus Miklos Haraszti and
providing him with complete and accurate information, as well as
other instruments, including the UN Human Rights Committee;
-
the informational direction, including work with the society and
modern techniques of public opinion-making.
Among other
proposals approved during the discussion, supported were the
preparation of a national report on the issue of the missing persons,
and its wide presentation, creation of professional documentaries,
wide collection of signatures by means of the so-called electronic
petitions.
Constructive proposals have been voiced by the
co-chairman of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Vital Rymasheuski,
the head of the Belarusian Popular Front Aliaksei Yanukevich, the
deputy head of the Belarusian Leftist Party "Fair World"
Valery Ukhnaliou and the civil activist and historian Vatslau
Areshka.
The leader of the United Civil Party Anatol
Liabedzka, who initiated and hosted the meeting, called on the
present people to work out a common strategy, including all voiced
proposals, and start immediate consolidated actions. "This
initiative is open for all other parties and associations who really
want and can help us in solving the issue of enforced
disappearances", emphasized the politician.
The cases of
the missing must not be simply passed to the archives, neither in a
year, nor in ten years. There can be no time limitations for them.