New investigator to be in charge of case of abducted Zakharanka

On the 10th year since Yury Zakharanka’s disappearance, investigation of his case was delivered into the charge of the third investigator.

As the Charter’97 press-centre was told by a human rights activist Aleh Vouchak, who represents interests of Zakharanka’s family, on December 29 he received notification that investigation of the abduction of the former Interior Minister of Belarus has been extended for March 24, 2009. Junior counselor of Justice Y. Varauka, investigator for particularly important cases, is to be in charge of the case.

“It is the third time when the investigator is changed over the 10 years. His rank is a little higher than previous ones, Zmitser Kukharchyk and Uladzimir Chumachenka. It is possible that the prosecutor’s office wants to demonstrate that Zakharanka’s case would really be investigated. But to prove that the investigation is really taking place objectively, the new investigator is to interrogate former high-ranking officials Sheiman, Paulichenka, Sivakou, and the current Interior Ministry head Navumau. If they won’t be interrogated, it means that the case would be investigated the same way as in the previous years. The investigation lasts for 10 years already! It is the longest investigation of the criminal case in Belarus. There are no detailed notifications about the progress of the investigation received by us, despite of our constant requests,” Aleh Vouchak told to the Charter’97 press-centre.

As we have informed, the former Interior Minister and one of opposition leaders Yury Zakharanka went missing in May 1999. Many people in Belarus and abroad believe that he was abducted on political reasons, and possibly assassinated. The Belarusian authorities state that investigation hasn’t been finished yet, and reasons of Zakharanka’s abduction and his whereabouts are unknown.

The international community believes that high-ranked Belarusian officials: in particular, minister of internal affaires Uladzimir Navumau, former Security Council secretary Viktar Sheiman, former interior minister Yury Sivakou and commander of special troops Dzmitry Paulichenka – are implicated in abductions of Yury Zakharanka and other leaders of Belarusian opposition.