HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN BELARUS IN 2009 Analytical Review Minsk 2010 PREFACE Preface HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION The situation regarding the furtherance of human rights in Belarus remained extremely ambiguous throughout 2009 and thus this period IN BELARUS IN 2009 may be described as a time of unrealized hopes. In 2009 foreign policy was the factor that had the greatest impact on Analytical Review human rights in Belarus. The authorities clearly chose a policy of for- mally reducing the number of repressive acts, as this was necessary in order to improve Belarus international reputation. They also wished to enhance their level of political and economic contact with the Europe- Authors: Ales Bialiatski an Union and the United States, as well as participate in new EU pro- Tatsiana Reviaka grams (in particular the Eastern Partnership) and take part in a dialogue Valiantsin Stefanovich Yury Chavusau on human rights issues. This year saw a breakthrough in the political isolation of the Belarusian authorities: for the first time in many years, Belarus was visited by the Italian Prime-Minister Silvio Berlusconi, a key Editors: Ales Bialiatski European leader, as well as by a number of high-ranking European Tatsiana Reviaka officials including the Secretary General of the EU Council Javier Sola- na, the EU Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, the Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, the Slovenian Foreign Minister Samuel Zbogar, the The review presents an analysis of the state of human rights and Slovakian Foreign Minister, Miroslav Lajcak. Lukashenko himself was fundamental freedoms in Belarus in 2009. It covers both the most fla- invited to Lithuania, the Ukraine, Italy and the Vatican. grant and the most typical violations of citizens rights over the period. Belarusian foreign policy remained solely in the hands of Aleksandr The review was prepared on the basis of personal complaints by the Lukashenko. The economic crisis made relations with other Europe- victims of human rights violations, facts documented by human rights an countries more important, as they continued to finance the loans groups, as well as information from public sources (www.spring96.org, handed to Belarus through the IMF. For a long time, the Belarusian www.baj.by, www.nn.by and others.) authorities ignored the criticisms of European countries on human The book uses photos from the web-sites www.spring96.org, rights and on the lack of democracy in Belarus. This obstructionist www.photo.bymedia.net, www.nn.by, www.svaboda.org, stance may be attributed to Russias extensive economic support of www.charter97.org. Belarus and the subsequent lack of significant leverage of other Eu- ropean countries over the Belarusian regime; however, in the last two or three years Russias economic support has declined rapidly and in order to preserve the very dubious Belarusian model of development the regime appears to have sought Western finance. This has dramat- ically increased the importance of economic relations with European ISN 376-8-240057-22-9 democracies. 3 ANALYTICAL REVIEW PREFACE The economic situation forced the Belarusian regime to seek allies, At the same time the Belarusian authorities who have traditionally where before they had seen only enemies. After the Orange Revolution, been friendly towards Russia substituted their inherent Euroscepticism relations between the Ukrainian and Belarusian administrations were with a different kind of rhetoric. Lukashenkos regular statements that minimized and the Belarusian state media provided negative coverage Russia is our traditional ally and we will never leave Russia were ac- of Ukrainian political and economic reforms. Moreover, the Belarusian companied by other pronouncements, such as: Belarus is a Europe- regime intensified its efforts to further restrict democratic freedoms in an country and we do not need to prove it, Belarus pursues a sincere order to prevent the development of a scenario similar to the one that policy in relation to the EU, Being located in the heart of Europe, we had occurred in the Ukraine; however, in recent years, neighboring would like to have very good relations with our neighbor the Europe- Ukraine, which occupies a much more independent stance in its rela- an Union and so on. tions with Russia, has been treated by Lukashenko as a possible stra- In 2009, for the first time in many years, the Belarusian authorities tegic partner for joint political and economic projects. On 20 January, demonstrated a clear desire to join European structures. Again, these during a meeting with the Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko, Ale- changes are best explained by the desire of the Belarusian authorities ksandr Lukashenko thanked him for the tremendous support he pro- to improve the image of their country abroad in order to enhance their vided at various levels in meetings with the Europeans and Americans. economic relations with the EU. They are specifically concerned by the The fact that a dialogue between Belarus and the West has finally been Eastern partnership, EUs program of cooperation with six post-Soviet established is to your credit too. He noted that both sides were able to countries (Moldova, the Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, Belarus and Az- propose a number of projects that would be of interest to Europe ... and that There are already over a dozen such projects. erbaijan), as well as the EUs human rights dialogue with Belarus and In February 2009, Belarus was visited by the Secretary-General of also the repeated attempts to restore Belarus Special Guest status in the EU Council Javier Solana. During his meeting with the Belarusian the Council of Europe. President, Aleksandr Lukashenko outlined how he foresaw future rela- tions between Belarus and the EU: A dialogue in the form of trade is Belarus and the Eastern Partnership inevitable; however in politics it is undesirable. Neither is it necessary. He was probably hinting at the EUs mandatory conditions on an im- Belarus participation in the Eastern Partnership program was con- provement in the situation concerning human rights and democracy ditional on a number of democratic reforms. In early January 2009 the before the establishment of closer economic ties with Belarus. Also, European Parliament adopted a resolution on Belarus, which stated that Lukashenko suggested that in our relationship, we have tried to exclude for a significant improvement of relations with the EU Belarus should: all those who treat our country in an unfriendly manner. Both those in- 1. be a country without political prisoners, 2. guarantee the freedom of side our country and abroad. There are a lot of them. On 17 March in the media, 3. continue cooperating with the OSCE on reforming elec- an emotional speech, Lukashenko explained whom he had had in mind: toral laws 4. improve working conditions for non-governmental organ- If we published everything about how the opposition works in Brussels, izations 5. guarantee freedom of assembly and political association. Strasbourg and other European capitals as well as in America, then you These were the requirements made by the EU when considering would be appalled ... as soon as we tried to come to an agreement with Belarus possible participation in the Eastern Partnership. In January the Europeans and the process began to move in the right direction, 2009, the EU Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner explained that the they became hysterical ... They were either drunk or stoned and it all Eastern Partnership is our proposal to six countries in the East. Bela- started pouring forth: out of their ears and other places, out of all their rus is not included here, because in reality there are many obstacles orifices... Some of the great figures we have released from prison have caused by its democratic system. For the five remaining countries this been squealing about what should be demanded from the authorities, is a valid proposal, but only after they have fulfilled the conditions we from Belarus, badgering and stifling us at this time of crisis... The dam- demand of them: this means they are not to violate the freedom of the age they wish to do to our state is terrible. media, nor among many other things the freedom of assembly. After- 4 5 ANALYTICAL REVIEW PREFACE ward, we will be ready to take the next step. And the next step is an arrested on spurious grounds in Vaukavysk. On 12 February, a youth opportunity for each of these countries to sign an association agree- activist Artsiom Dubski (convicted in the case of 14 for participating in ment with the European Union. In another interview, Benita Ferrero- a peaceful protest rally of entrepreneurs in 2008) was taken into cus- Waldner spoke about future economic prospects: Once your country tody and on 23 February Maksim Dashuk, who had been convicted in joins the WTO (World Trade Organization), we will sign various agree- the same trial, was charged with evading his sentence; the rights of all ments on the establishment of a free trade zone between the WTO the others convicted in the trial of 14 remained restricted. The found- and the EU. We want there to be a real economic community between ers of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party were placed under us and our neighbors. pressure from the KGB and the authorities, when submitting the docu- In early March Benita Ferrero-Waldner again explained the EUs ments necessary to register their party. Across the country, peaceful position on Belarus participation in the Eastern Partnership program: public events were arbitrarily banned; civil activists were detained with- We have offered Belarus the opportunity to take part, but in order for out charge for participating in unauthorized rallies in Minsk, Vitsebsk, this to occur a number of conditions must be met. Firstly the contin- Mahiliou, Baranavichy and dozens were fined in Minsk and Homel.