“We demand international investigation!” rally: August 16, 6 p.m., Academy of Sciences

No one can prohibit Belarusians from gathering in the streets with portraits of abducted opposition leaders.

It has been stated at today’s press-conference in Minsk by chairman of the Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada Stanislau Shushkevich, leader of “European Belarus” civil campaign Andrei Sannikov, chairman of the United Civil party Anatoly Lyabedzka, leader of “Tell the Truth!” campaign Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu and chairman of Minsk city branch of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Viktar Ivashkevich.

Today applicants for holding the rally on August 16 have received an answer from Minsk city executive committee, in which it is said that under Article 5 of the Law on Mass Events, holding a rally along the applied-for route (the Academy of Sciences – Freedom Square) is banned.

Today applicants for the rally have stated that the decision of Minsk city executive committee violates the laws and the Constitution which guarantee a right for a peaceful protest. The rally under the slogan “We demand international examination of cases of the abducted!” is to take place on August 16, at 6 p.m. near the Academy of Sciences.

The citizens of Belarus are called upon coming there with portraits of the abducted and murdered Vice Speaker of the Supreme Soviet Viktar Hanchar, former head of the Interior Affairs Ministry Yury Zakharanka, a businessman and public leader Anatoly Krasouski and a journalist Dzmitry Zavadski. According to the decree of the Supreme Court, that does not violate any laws.

“The authorities avoid adopting any decision. They gave a formal reply, violating the law, as if they do not sanction the rally in one place, they must offer another one. But no one can prohibit citizens of the Republic of Belarus from gathering near the Academy of Sciences on August 16 at 6 p.m. with portraits of the disappeared. This format of holding the rally does not contravene any laws. Our major task is attracting attention of the Belarusian and international community to the problem of politically motivated abductions,” said the leader of Minsk city branch of the Belarusian Popular Front Party Viktar Ivashkevich.

The leader of the Belarusian Social-Democratic Hramada Stanislau Shushkevich notes that he is not surprised by the decision of the authorities to ban the rally in its present form.

“It is clear that they had been issued instructions at the highest level. I have come through that with my open letter about my one-dollar worth pension. All the five agencies which could appeal to the Supreme Court, were given “marching orders”, and one agency, the Arbitration court, answered that as this question is dealt with by our leader only, and they had failed to contact him, they can nothing but dismiss it. But we must hold the rally on August 16 in a legal format. It is our duty, to venerate the memory of the disappeared,” Shushkevich said.

The United Civil Party leader Anatoly Lyabedzka attracted attention to the legal aspect of this issue:

“There are two decisions of the Supreme Court, which overturn decisions of lower courts and decided that if a citizen of Belarus stands in one or another place with a portrait, that does not fall within the scope of the law on meetings and marches. That is why from the legal point of view the format of the rally offered by us is absolutely safe,” the politician noted.

Lyabedzka has also reminded that the UCP addressed the Prosecutor General’s Office with a request to initiate a criminal case and check the facts in the sensational documentary of NTV channel (Russia), “Godbatka” (We remind that the highest leaders of Belarus were charged with being involved in abductions and assassinations of opposition leaders). There has not been any answer from the Prosecutor General’s Office up till now, despite of the fact that an answer was to be received on August 7 under the law.

“The problems in the film are obviously so big and unmanageable that the Prosecutor’s Office which must control obeying to the law, cannot obey this law itself,” Lyabedzka said.

“In addition to the problem of law, there is a problem of morality. Right after “Godbatka” film was broadcast, the General Prosecutor was to initiate a criminal case, as the leader had been charged with assassinations of his opponents. When some bird leaves a drop on his bald head, it is immediately considered an insult of honour and dignity, and the bird is imprisoned. And now we have more than birds here. It is a serious accusation. And my absolute moral right is to demand to clear up this issue, by coming to the Academy of Sciences on August 16 at 6 p.m. It is the most serious thing that we are dealing with, as it concerns a human life,” noted the leader of “Tell the Truth!” campaign Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu.

Opposition leaders have also informed that at the moment drafting of an address to the European Parliament is carried out with a request to hold hearings on the political disappearances in Belarus. The address is to be signed by well-known Belarusian politicians, human rights activists, public leaders, representatives of the creative community, as well as relatives of the abducted and assassinated oppositionists.

The politicians have also told how they forwarded the address to the UN Security Council through embassies of the countries members of the Security Council – China, Russia, the Great Britain, France and the US. During the meetings all diplomats asked about the rally in Minsk on August 16.

“The answer of Minsk City Executive Committee to the application for holding the rally “We demand international examination of cases of the abducted!” is an answer of the Belarusian authorities to the charges in the film of the Russian TV. By doing so the authorities acknowledged that the problem of political disappearances and assassinations exists, and they are involved in that. But no one could prohibit us to do everything possible for the cases of the disappeared to be investigated in the due way.

As for the address to the UN Security Council, I can say that I was in the Embassies of Russia, the Great Britain and China. The Chinese Embassy has very strict instructions not to admit any documents from public associations, but we had a long and good conversation. And I would like to note that the Chinese Embassy also asked for details about the rally: whether permission had been received, in which format it would be held. It has happened for the first time. The address was sent to the Chinese representative in the UN. We cannot expect quick results, but we will continue what we have strated, as this issue should be under a constant control of the society and opposition, and in the future – of the new authorities of Belarus as well,” stated the leader of “European Belarus” civil campaign Andrei Sannikov.