Day of Solidarity with Belarus in Warsaw

A picket to pay tribute to the memory of the disappeared leaders of Belarusian opposition was held in the Polish capital.

Viktar Hanchar and Anatol Krasouski were abducted in Minsk 15 years ago. A picket of solidarity and memory of the disappeared persons was held in the Polish capital on September 16. The event was organised by the European Belarus civil campaign. Tens of people were holding flags of the EU, Belarus and Poland and portraits of the abducted people and political prisoners. Warsaw residents, activists of various Belarusian organisations and famous politicians attended the picket, a journalist of charter97.org reports.

“15 years is a sad date,” Andrei Sannikov, the leader of the European Belarus civil campaign and candidate in the 2010 presidential election, said. “We have almost all information to hear the case of the disappeared persons. We should not forget that Christos Pourgourides presented his report on the disappeared persons in Belarus to the Council of Europe 10 years ago. We have everything to hear these high-profile cases in court. We want the international community not to forget about it. There are international mechanisms called universal jurisdiction. I hope these mechanisms will soon allow considering this case even abroad.

Of course it's dangerous. The dictatorship rules in the country. Together we stopped what was going on in 1999, or in 2000, if we recall Zmitser Zavadski. The aim of the regime remains the same – the elimination of its opponents. The events after the 2010 election and the death of Aleh Biabenin show that the authorities continue to get rid of their opponents by any means. Our solidarity is our success. Victory is impossible without solidarity. I think pickets on the 16th day of every month should be held both in Belarus and abroad. The families of the disappeared and killed persons and we ourselves need it.”

Activists were distributing leaflets and talking to passers-by explaining to them the situation in Russian/Belarusian, Polish or English. Local residents and tourists were surprised to know what happens in Belarus. Local dweller Elrzbieta recalls how the communists were deposed at the times of the Solidarity movement, speaks about current problems in Poland and admits she couldn't imagine everything is so bad in Belarus.

“I know that something wrong is going on in Belarus, but I didn't know people were abducted. Of course, we saw it in the Soviet times. Of course, we have some problems now, but they are different. We can raise any flag in the street and tell people about your problem. That's what you are doing now. You, perhaps, feel fear because you are close to Putin. 'Humanitarian convoys' may be sent to your country, too,” she says.

Social democrat Siarhei thinks this day should unite all real Belarusians regardless of their party membership.

“I think the people we see now are real Belarusians. Such pickets should be held every 16th day of a month. This is our memory. It's terrible what the dictatorial regime of Lukashenka has done. I think people will finally learn the truth. The truth cannot be hidden. But when will it happen? It is impossible under the Lukashenka regime, but I am confident it will happen sooner or later. I think all political forces should be together on this day,” he said.

The analysis of the evidence in the case, including the testimony of witnesses, suggests that Hanchar and Krasouski were forcibly abducted by unknown persons. Opposition members, relatives of the missing persons and the international community believe that Hanchar and Krasouski were kidnapped for political reasons, and suspect the country's high-ranking officials of involvement in the kidnapping. The statute of limitation in the criminal cases over the disappearance of the opposition members expires this year.