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Researched and Compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on Wednesday 31 October & Thursday 1 November 2012

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Researched and Compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on Wednesday 31 October & Thursday 1 November 2012 Belarus - Researched and compiled by the Refugee Documentation Centre of Ireland on Wednesday 31 October & Thursday 1 November 2012 Information on 2010 election candidate Andrei Sannikov, including: Treatment of his campaigners/supporters by the authorities A report issued in February 2011 by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, commenting on the election of December 2010, states that: “On 24 November, an opposition activist was beaten in Minsk while posting leaflets for Mr. Sannikov and on 8 December, campaign materials for Mr. Statkevich were seized by police” (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (21 February 2011) Republic of Belarus Presidential Election 19 December 2010, OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission Final Report, p.10). Commenting on the aftermath of demonstrations in December 2010, a publication by Amnesty International in January 2011 lists the following as prisoners of conscience: “There are now 14 prisoners of conscience: Presidential candidates: Alyaksei Mihalevich, Mykalau Statkevich, Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu and Andrei Sannikau Journalists: Alyaksandr Atroshchankau, the press secretary of Andrei Sannikov, Iryna Khalip correspondent for the Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, Political commentator: Alyaksandr Fyaduta Opposition activists: Pavel Sevyarynets an opposition activist and member of Vital Rymasheusky’s campaign team, Anatol Lyabedka a member of the United Civic Party, Uladzimir Kobets, a member of Alyaksandr Sannikov’s campaign team, Zmitser Bandarenka, the coordinator of the opposition European Belarus campaign, Alyaksandr Arastovych, and Syargei Martseleu, members of Mykalau Statkevich’s campaign team, and Anastasiya Palazhanka, the deputy leader of the Young Front movement” (Amnesty International (31 January 2011) Demand Release Of Belarusian Activists). Commenting on arrests in the aftermath of the December 2010 elections, The Committee on International Control over the Human Rights Situation in Belarus notes: “An analysis of the data indicates that 28 of the 61 people who were investigated or faced charges were associated with the organised opposition to Alexander Lukashenko. Seven had been presidential candidates, while a further 21 had worked for, or were closely associated with one of the candidates. This included seven people who were associated with Andrey Sannikov’s team…” (The Committee on International Control over the Human Rights Situation in Belarus (2011) Final Report by the Special Rapporteur on the events of 19 December 2010 of the Committee on International Control over the Situation with Human Rights in Belarus, p.21). In March 2011 a report issued by the United Kingdom: Foreign and Commonwealth Office points out that: “General concerns relate to the conduct of public institutions, such as the police and prison authorities, and the lack of effective investigations by the authorities into allegations of torture. To give a specific example, Andrei Sannikov is an ex- presidential candidate and one of the political detainees in Belarus. Mr Sannikov was injured when police broke up the 19 December protest. According to eyewitnesses, he was assaulted by police who pinned him down with a riot shield and repeatedly jumped onto it, severely injuring his legs. Friends attempted to drive him to hospital, but the car was stopped by police and Mr Sannikov was arrested. Witnesses claim that at this time he had no visible head injuries. Mr Sannikov's lawyer visited him in detention on 20 December. According to the lawyer, he had new cuts and bruises on his arms, face and head. He was unable to stand and could barely move. The new injuries suggested that Mr Sannikov had been beaten again while in custody. The lawyer described his condition as "horrendous" and said that the way Mr Sannikov spoke and held himself suggested he had suffered brain damage. On 23 December, Amnesty International representatives announced that they believed Mr Sannikov had been subjected to torture” (United Kingdom: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (31 March 2011) Human Rights and Democracy: The 2010 Foreign & Commonwealth Office Report - Belarus). A publication in December 2011 by the United Nations Committee Against Torture states: “The Committee is seriously concerned about numerous, consistent reports that detainees are frequently denied basic fundamental legal safeguards, including prompt access to a lawyer and medical doctor and the right to contact family members, and this pertains especially to those detainees charged under article 293 of the Criminal Code. Such reports include cases raised jointly by several special procedure mandate holders, including the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and pertaining to, inter alia, Andrei Sannikov who made an allegation during trial in May 2011 about the denial of his rights to prompt access to lawyer, to contact family and to medical treatment despite injuries caused by the authorities during arrest, and Vladimir Neklyaev (A/HRC/17/27/Add.1, para. 249)” (United Nations Committee Against Torture (7 December 2011) Concluding observations of the Committee against Torture : Belarus, p.2). A publication in June 2012 by the International Trade Union Confederation notes: “The regime confirmed its authoritarian reputation when it put more than 30 political activists, including four opposition leaders, on trial for their part in the December protests over alleged vote rigging in the December 2010 elections. In May opposition leader Andrei Sannikov was sentenced to five years in prison for organising the protests” (International Trade Union Confederation (6 June 2012) 2012 Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights - Belarus). The Council of Europe in April 2012 states: “Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) President Jean-Claude Mignon today welcomed the release of Belarusian opposition leader Andrei Sannikov and his former campaign aide Dzmitry Bandarenka, while urging President Lukashenko "to release and fully rehabilitate all other remaining political prisoners" “ (Council of Europe (16 April 2012) PACE President welcomes release of Belarusian opposition leader and campaign aide). In October 2012 BBC News notes that: “A leading dissident in Belarus, Andrei Sannikov, has been granted political asylum in the UK, his wife says…Mr Sannikov received a five-year jail sentence in May 2011 for organising mass protests but was amnestied in April this year” (BBC News (26 October 2012) Leading Belarus dissident Sannikov gets UK asylum). References Amnesty International (31 January 2011) Demand Release Of Belarusian Activists http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/EUR49/002/2011/en/4967968f-8668- 44ad-b72d-724ba73e2638/eur490022011en.pdf Accessed Wednesday 31 October 2012 BBC News (26 October 2012) Leading Belarus dissident Sannikov gets UK asylum http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-20095761 Accessed Wednesday 31 October 2012 The Committee on International Control over the Human Rights Situation in Belarus (2011) Final Report by the Special Rapporteur on the events of 19 December 2010 of the Committee on International Control over the Situation with Human Rights in Belarus http://belhelcom.org/sites/default/files/Final_HRights_Assessment_of_19-12- 2010_in_Minsk-eng_final.pdf Accessed Wednesday 31 October 2012 Council of Europe (16 April 2012) PACE President welcomes release of Belarusian opposition leader and campaign aide http://www.ein.org.uk/members/country-report/pace-president-welcomes-release- belarusian-opposition-leader-and-campaign-aid This is a subscription database Accessed Wednesday 31 October 2012 International Trade Union Confederation (6 June 2012) 2012 Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights - Belarus http://www.unhcr.org/cgi- bin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?page=printdoc&docid=4fd88964c Accessed Wednesday 31 October 2012 Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (21 February 2011) Republic of Belarus Presidential Election 19 December 2010, OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission Final Report http://www.ecoi.net/file_upload/1788_1298719949_75713.pdf Accessed Wednesday 31 October 2012 United Kingdom: Foreign and Commonwealth Office (31 March 2011) Human Rights and Democracy: The 2010 Foreign & Commonwealth Office Report - Belarus http://www.unhcr.org/cgi- bin/texis/vtx/refworld/rwmain?page=printdoc&docid=4d99aa88c Accessed Wednesday 31 October 2012 United Nations Committee Against Torture (7 December 2011) Concluding observations of the Committee against Torture : Belarus http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/4f1d51c82.pdf Accessed Wednesday 31 October 2012 This response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Refugee Documentation Centre within time constraints. This response is not and does not purport to be conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please read in full all documents referred to. Sources Consulted Amnesty International BBC News Electronic Immigration Network European Country of Origin Information Network Freedom House Google Human Rights Watch Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre International Crisis Group IRIN News Lexis Nexis Minority Rights Group International Online Newspapers Refugee Documentation Centre E-Library Refugee Documentation Centre Query Database Refugees International Reliefweb Reuters United Kingdom Home Office United States Department of State UNHCR Refworld .
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