Yury Zakharanka would have marked his 60th birthday today

Belarusian high-ranking officials are suspected of kidnapping and killing of a former interior minister of Belarus.

General Yury Zakharanka disappeared on May 7, 1999. Witnesses of the kidnapping, found not by investigation team, but by a public commission to find the disappeared general, say several men forcefully took Zakharanka.

Zakharanka was dismissed from his ministerial post because he did not share the point of view of Lukashenka and his henchmen. The former minister was highly respected by his colleagues. He was going to create a Union of Army Officers. His opposition activity posed particular danger to the authorities.

Many people in Belarus and in the world think he was abducted on politically motives and probably killed. The Belarusian authorities say the investigation has not been completed and causes for his kidnapping and further fate remain unknown.

“The authorities just want to report to the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances of the UN Commission on Human Rights. It’s possible to say the investigation did not proceed. We still do not have hopes for changes,” human rights activist Aleh Vouchak said.

The international community thinks Belarusian high-ranking officials, namely former minister of internal affairs Uladzimir Navumau, former secretary of the Security Council Viktar Sheiman, former commander of the special purpose detachment of interior troops Dzmitry Paulichenka, former minister of internal affairs Yury Sivakou are involved in disappearance of Yury Zakharnaka and other leaders of the Belarusian opposition (vice speaker of the Supreme Council Viktar Hanchar, businessman and public figure Anatol Krasouski, journalist Dzmitry Zavadski).