Henadz Karpenka Suddenly Died 25 Years Ago

This happened a month before the alternative presidential elections.

April 6 marks the 25th anniversary of the sudden death of Henadz Karpenka.

He was one of the most prominent, authoritative and respected Belarusian politicians and posed a real threat to the dictator.

Henadz Karpenka was born on September 17, 1949 in Minsk. He graduated from the Belarusian Polytechnic Institute [the Belarusian National Technical University now - Ed.]. He worked at the Institute of Nuclear Energy of the Academy of Sciences of Belarus. In 1983, he worked in the Scientific-Production Association for Powder Metallurgy.

He was the director of the powder metallurgy plant in the city of Maladzechna in 1987-1990.

In 1990, he was elected a Deputy of the Supreme Council of the 12th Convocation, and then - Chairman of the Commission on Science and Scientific and Technological Progress. From 1991 to 1994, he headed the Maladzechna City Executive Committee. In 1995, he was re-elected as a Deputy of the Supreme Council. He became Deputy Chairman of the last legitimate Belarusian parliament.

In 1996, Henadz Karpenka was one of the initiators of the impeachment procedure against Lukashenka, which was initiated by the deputies of the Supreme Council. Two years later, he headed the National Executive Committee created by the Belarusian opposition. Henadz Karpenka could have really competed with the government and become the president of Belarus in 2001.

Doctor of Technology, Corresponding Member of the National Academy of Sciences, Honored Scientist of the BSSR, State Prize in Science and Technology winner. Author of 40 inventions.

Henadz Karpenka died of a cerebral haemorrhage on the morning of April 6, 1999, at the age of 49. This happened a month before the alternative presidential elections, the supporters of which refused to recognize the changes in the Constitution imposed on Lukashenka, which meant the extension of his term in office.

A month after the mysterious death of the politician, one of his closest associates, Yury Zakharanka, disappeared without a trace, six months later, the second, Viktar Hanchar, who, together with businessman Anatol Krasouski, was kidnapped in the center of Minsk.

The true causes of Henadz Karpenka's death are still unknown. He never complained about his health. Relatives and representatives of the opposition doubt the natural causes of death and believe that the Belarusian authorities are involved in it.

The wife and children of the opposition politician, due to constant harassment and pressure from the regime, were forced to leave for Germany, where they obtained the status of political refugees.

In 2009, well-known politicians, representatives of the creative intelligentsia and public figures appealed to the capital's City Executive Committee to name one of the Minsk streets after Henadz Karpenka, but the authorities refused.