Russia and Belarus to make common list of persons restricted to travel abroad

The official Minsk is set to agree with the Russian authorities to make common lists of citizens of the two countries who are restricted to travel abroad.

First it was stated by the chairman of the oppositional Association of the Democratic Forces, the leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka. Yesterday the Belarusian authorities confirmed this information to the Russian newspaper “Novyje Izvestiya”.

In February Minsk announced restrictions for leaving the country for certain categories of citizens of Belarus. The matter concerns people who have access to secret information, are suspects or accused in criminal cases or are convicted for crimes. Besides, those against whom legal proceedings have been instituted, cannot go abroad for a term defined by the court, but not longer than the end of the proceedings in the case. This incident caused concern of the regime’s opponents, as almost everybody can be included in the latter category. Soon the fears proved to be well-grounded. At the Lithuanian border Belarusian frontier guards “gave the brush-off” to one of the leader of the Belarusian opposition Anatol Lyabedzka, who is on remand on charges relating insult of honour and dignity of the president since 2004. Soon a few more oppositionists were told to go back and couldn’t cross the border.

These persons immediately used the way once used by Georgian migrant workers who couldn’t enter the territory of Russia without visas, and they entered the territory of Russia via Minsk. Belarusians restricted to leave the country went to Russia, and from Russia to the countries they wanted. By the way, Moscow had offered Minsk to impose a visa regime with Georgia.

Belarusian oppositionists can go to the West only vie Russia. To use “Ukrainian route” for instance is impossible. The reason is that Ukrainian frontier guards stop people on the black lists of Belarusian authorities from entering their country.

According to reports disseminated by Lyabedzka’s supporters, the administration of Alyaksandr Lukashenka is trying to find agreement with Moscow so that Belarusian persons restricted to travel abroad on political grounds would be unable to cross the border of Russia.

Yesterday the authorities in fact confirmed these reports. Te head of the press-service of the State Frontier Committee of Belarus Alyaksandr Tsishchanka in a conversation with “Novyje Izvestiya” told that a common database on persons restricted to travel abroad is simply indispensable. “Common databases against terrorists are created all over the world. It is understandable that neither we nor Russians want to see them on their territory,” Tsishchanka said to the newspaper. According to him, Belarus and Russia should pool efforts in order to restrict influx of people who “have problems with the law, including debts, like alimony payment, credits and so on”. He confirmed that the issue of creation of the common database is considered. Besides, according to Alyaksandr Tsishchanka, “at this stage technical side of this objective is solved”.

On Tuesday Russians joined the discussion on the persons restricted to travel abroad. But not in the way the Belarusian authorities wanted it. Vladimir Lukin, Russian human rights ombudsman, promised to grant legal and informational assistance to Belarusian oppositionists. Lukin has stated that he is ready to use every bit of leverage to prevent the situation when Russia would stop Belarusian oppositionists from going abroad.