Picket near Belarus’ Embassy in Washington: “Where are Hanchar and Krasouski?”

Activists picketed the Embassy of Belarus in Washington on the 15th anniversary of abduction of Viktar Hanchar and Anatoly Krasouski.

On September 16 members of the Belarusian-American Association (BAZA) together with the human rights organization “Amnesty International” held a picket in front of the Belarusian Embassy in Washington under the slogans: “Belarus, where are Hanchar and Krasouski?”

About 20 participants of the protest demanded the Belarusian authorities to carry out undelayed and unbiased investigation of all disappearance cases which happened in Belarus in 1999 – 2000, to publicize the results of the investigation widely, and fulfill all the requirements of the UN Human Rights Committee in connection with the decision in the case on Anatoly Krasouski’s disappearance. Participants of the protest held portraits of Belarusians, forcibly abducted in 1999-2000, and posters with the words: “Hanchar and Krasouski disappeared 15 years ago”, “Where are Hanchar and Krasouski?” and “Let’s stop the last dictator of Europe!” Participants also handed out leaflets with information about human rights violations in Belarus, the activists told to charter97.org website.

“One of the objectives of our rally was to remind the workers of the Belarusian Embassy and the public of the US capital about the events of September 16, 1999. It is a black day in the modern history of Belarus, which should not be forgotten. Together with BAZA, the civil initiative “We Remember” and the Joint Baltic-American National Committee and families of the disappeared Belarusians we continue to insist on undelayed investigation and publication of its results,” Vyachaslau Bortnik, an expert on Belarus of the US branch of Amnesty International stated.

In addition to the BAZA and AI members, among the participants of the picket there were also the executive director of the Joint Baltic American National Committee Karl Altau, representatives of the European Humanities University and a number of US human rights organisations.