“Soon after I was released, I gave a press-conference in which I stated about the conditions in the KGB prison and the tortures taking place there. I wanted people to know the truth on what is really going on with the political activists and former presidential candidates, that such things are possible in a European country in the centre of Minsk in the 21 century,” Ales Michalevich writes, presidential candidate in the 2010 election in Belarus.

I was always advocating for the peaceful evolutionary change of the country’s political regime and I saw the upcoming 2010 presidential elections as an opportunity to openly declare my views on the country’s further political and economic development, find possible ways of cooperation between the authorities and civil society in Belarus. Work with various sectors of Belarusian governmental system convinced me that the Belarusian state structure was in need of an urgent modernization, with an emphasis on local self-government, democratic procedures and respect to human rights. My participation in the presidential campaign also resulted from all my previous civic and political activities.

In January 2010 I officially declared I would be taking part in the presidential elections in Belarus as an independent candidate. I saw my presidential campaign as an opportunity to attract people that never before actively participated in politics, but were willing to improve the economic and political image of the country without resorting to radical ideas but rather by means of progressive reforming of the major spheres in economy and political sector. From the very beginning I tried to work with the various target groups of Belarusian society, organizing events and addressing them directly, aiming to attract their attention. I left the classical opposition voters to other candidates, instead focusing on a larger segment of society.

I must admit that the conditions for organizing a presidential campaign in Belarus were more liberal than in the previous years. I was able to freely address my views and meet with the people, despite minor violations from the side of the authorities. In May 2010 I presented a thesis of my electoral program: ”Belarus: Strategy of Evolution” in Minsk city hall. The electoral program consisted of three basic parts: economy growth, effective state, active society. I was also able to register Union ”For Modernization”. The organization promotes transformation of a Belarusian state to modern forms of organization of economics, social and cultural spheres, as well as preparation of Belarusian society for the upcoming changes. The Union aims at reaching a different level of business-state relations, stimulation of inner market competition, attraction of new technologies, investments into high-technology production, development of service industries.

During my campaign I gave numerous interviews to Belarusian and foreign media, participated in the debates and made working visits to Belarusian regions. My initiative group was able to collect the necessary amount of signatures for balloting. Which was quite surprising, most of them were from Belarusian province. After I was officially registered as a presidential candidate, I continued my promotion campaign, making strong accent on agitation in the regions, fully using my time on state television and radio, seeking understanding with the authorities on the issue of modernization of the country and implementation of democratic changes. All in all, I believe the campaign proved to be relatively successful for me with independent polls giving me 10 % of the electoral votes. If I were to go back, I would not seriously change any point of my campaign. During the campaign period, I was able to meet many new people, establish contacts and I believe the voters were able to hear my message on the modernization of the country.

What happened at the day of elections, on December 19, cannot be described in any rational terms. To the moment when I came to the rally a big amount of its participants were beaten and injured. Hundreds of people who protested against the election result have been arrested in the post election crackdown. I was arrested by the KGB troops later in the night at my campaign office and taken to the KGB prison. Members of my initiative group were being constantly called to the KGB for interrogation, as well as some of my relatives.

Shortly before the New Year I was officially accused of organizing of mass disorders. The events following the accusation were even more disturbing. In the KGB prison I was subjected to tortures. KGB jail carried out personal searches of prisoners for five or six times a day: Men in black masks with no markings conducted such searches. We were stretched naked, with our legs hooked up to a complete string. We could feel our ligament tearing; in the end of this procedure, it was difficult to walk. We were placed naked a meter apart from the wall with our hands stretched forward, propping up the wall in the room, where the temperature didn’t exceed ten degrees. We had been kept so for 40 minutes until our hands got swelled. Sometimes they made us prop up the walls with our palms up. Some prisoners with a poor health got faint during such ”procedures.” However, the people in masks did not stop. They didn’t turn off the fluorescent lamps at night but demanded to lie down under the lamp, not even covering the face with a handkerchief to see the face. As a result, the eye-sight began to deteriorate. We were ordered to sleep with our faces turned to the ”eyes” in the doorway, the compliance of which was continually watched – if turned while sleeping, they went in and woke us up, forcing to lie down as ordered. In fact, it caused a complete absence of sleep. Prisoners were denied their legal right to medical help. Lawyers were also not allowed to prisoners. This was done deliberately to make the prisoners keep silence about torture.

I refused to read out a statement, condemning the other candidates, on TV. KGB conducted questioning without lawyers, without protocol, thus violating the procedural rules. They confiscated my diary with every-day records, made there; but it is impossible to erase from my memory what happened within those walls. The condition for my release was the signing of a ”cooperation agreement.” I deliberately took this step, and it was not dictated by the pressure and torture, but the desire to convey information about what’s happening to the prisoners.

Soon after I was released, I gave a press-conference in which I stated about the conditions in the KGB prison and the tortures taking place there. I wanted people to know the truth on what is really going on to the political activists and former presidential candidates, that such things are possible in a European country in the centre of Minsk in the 21 century. I wanted to show what the current regime was ready to do to remain in power, how it violates basic human rights and how it makes oppositional political activists agree to cooperate.

After two weeks of active campaigning on informing the society on tortures and conditions in KGB prison, I secretly left the country for fear of persecution from Belarusian authorities and possible new detainment by KGB.

It is evident that the regime now faces one of the most serious economic crises that ever happened to Belarus. In some spheres it seems as if we went back to the beginning of the 90-ies with the deficit of products and inflation. The regime relies on Russian credit and financing but this will not change the situation in the long term. What is needed is serious economic, social and political modernization, but the regime is unlikely to start reforming as it will diminish Lukashenka’s personal power.

The EU should first of all press the regime for stopping of tortures and for the release of all political prisoners. It may also impose sanctions, though previously I was against such measures. Third sector and pro-democratic representatives, independent media and organizations should be supported.

Ales Michalevic,
Presidential Candidate in Belarus, 2010

At Uppsala Central Station, 07:00 am. ”NO to world championship (hockey) in Europe’s last dictatorship 2014″.

Curious people in Uppsala on the way to their work and studies…

Campaign in Stockholm. ”Free the political prisoners”.

Activists in Gothenburg, handing out leaflets: ”NO to hockey world championship in Belarus 2014.”

Activist in Gothenburg talking to people about Belarus.

Läs hela artikeln här: http://europaportalen.se/2011/05/glom-inte-bort-frihetskamparna-i-europas-sista-diktatur

Foto: Peter Knutson

Ett politiskt system byggt på fri- och rättigheter kräver ett brett stöd och byggs underifrån. Det är därför avgörande att omvärlden fortsätter att stödja Vitrysslands/Belarus demokratiska och frihetstörstande krafter, skriver EU- och demokratiminister Birgitta Ohlsson (Fp).

År 2011 kommer för alltid att bli ihågkommet för den arabiska våren. Men medan vi nu bevittnar dessa historiska revolutioner på andra sidan Medelhavet är det viktigt att vi samtidigt inte glömmer bort vårt grannskap i öst. Ett land som man i synnerhet inte bör glömma när det talas om frihet är Vitryssland/Belarus där friheten lyser med sin frånvaro. Idag den 9 maj när Europadagen firas är det passande att vi ägnar en särskild tanke åt de människor som fortfarande lever under ett grovt förtryck i Europas sista diktatur.

Det politiska våld och förtryck som följt valet i december förra året har varit det värsta som Europa skådat på decennier och president Aljaksandr Lukasjenkas förtryck av befolkningen har eskalerat. Fredliga demonstranter har frihetsberövats. Representanter för oppositionen har misshandlats och skadats. Organsationer som arbetar med mänskliga rättigheter har motverkats. Och friheten på internet har begränsats.

Human Rights Watch och andra organisationer har kastat ljus på de fall under våren då frihetsaktivister har svartlistats och forcerats till att lämna landet. Mellan 2003 och 2005 tvingades över hundra av de mest aktiva icke-statliga organisationerna till att lägga ned sin verksamhet, vilket visar på den bristande organisationsfriheten i landet.

Organisationen Freedom House har rapporterat att många kvinnor blir offer för den internationella sexhandeln. Etniska grupper diskrimineras systematiskt och kritik framförs regelbundet mot rättsväsendets partiskhet. Vitryssland/Belarus är också det enda landet som fortfarande tillåter och verkställer dödsstraff. Under landets korta historia har över 320 människor dömts till döden.

Center for Systemic Peace gör årliga undersökningar av hur demokratiska respektive auktoritära de politiska institutionerna är i världens länder. Resultatet presenteras i form av poäng på en skala mellan -10 till 10 på vilken 10 är mest demokratiskt och -10 är mest auktoritärt. Sedan 1994 då Lukasjenka kom till makten har Vitryssland/Belarus tappat 14 poäng, vilket tydligt illustrerar det systematiska förtryck som många belarusier har utsatts och fortfarande utsätts för.

Europadagen firas till minne av Robert Schumans plan för den Europeiska kol- och stålgemenskapen, en föregångare till EU. Grunden för det samarbete som utvecklats till EU har varit gemensamma värderingar om fred och frihet. Dessa värden måste vi stå upp för och försvara, såväl på hemmaplan som runt om i världen.

Situationen i Vitryssland/Belarus är ytterst bekymmersam, men den är inte helt utan hopp. Lukasjenkas ökade våld mot och förtryck av befolkningen är fruktansvärt, men det visar också samtidigt att hans ställning är svag och att han saknar folkligt stöd. Omvärlden och i synnerhet EU har goda möjligheter att påverka och en mycket viktig roll att spela för Vitrysslands/Belarus framtid. Genom en dynamisk politik bestående av piskor och morötter kan EU skapa incitament och utöva påtryckningar för en utveckling i demokratisk riktning. Och för en union som är byggd på gemensamma värderingar om frihet och öppenhet bör det vara av högsta prioritet att se till så att dessa värden också kommer andra människor till del.

EU har genom sin ”mjuka makt” en unik möjlighet att sprida demokratiska och frihetliga värderingar. Detta förutsätter emellertid två saker: dels att man sopar rent framför egen dörr så att man kan tala om frihet med legitimitet och dels att man har goda kontakter med det belarusiska civilsamhället.

Det är också viktigt att man aldrig glömmer bort följande faktum: demokrati förutsätter demokrater. Ett politiskt system byggt på fri- och rättigheter kräver ett brett stöd och byggs underifrån. Det är därför avgörande att omvärlden fortsätter att stödja Vitrysslands/Belarus demokratiska och frihetstörstande krafter.

Birgitta Ohlsson (FP), EU- och demokratiminister

Den 19 december 2010 omvaldes Lukasjenko till president i Belarus. Kort därefter utbröt protester i Minsk. Tiotusentals människor samlades på gatorna för att visa sitt missnöje, många av dem slogs blodiga och greps av kravallpolis. Oppositionens presidentkandidater misshandlades och flera av dem fördes bort. Journalister och människorättsförsvarare greps också av polisen.

Innan detta skedde fanns förhoppningar från EU:s sida om att Lukasjenko skulle ta några steg mot rättsstat och demokrati och börja respektera mänskliga rättigheter. Något som särskilt betonas i samarbetet mellan Belarus och EU. Dessvärre visar händelserna i december och det fortsatta förtrycket på det motsatta. Det är tydligt att Lukasjenko endast försökte blidka väst utan någon verklig ambition att demokratisera landet.

Det är tydligt att det inte räcker med att fördöma eller tala om mänskliga rättigheter för att få förändring i Belarus. EU måste göra mer.

EU har infört visumförbud och fryst tillgångarna för Lukasjenko och hans 175 närmsta medarbetare. Det är bra att EU gör en sådan tydlig markering. Förhoppningsvis ökar trycket ytterligare på Lukasjenko, men EU skulle kunna göra mer. Bristen på agerande beror på att Kommissionen vill avvakta men också att medlemsländerna inte kan enas om vad som behöver göras.

EU kan införa sanktioner mot företag länkade till Lukasjenkos regim. Detta misslyckades på rådsmötet mellan EU:s utrikesministrar i april. Nästa möte sker den 13 maj, då vill jag se en överenskommelse mellan utrikesministrarna.

EU kan införa ekonomiska sanktioner mot Belarus, detta har Sverige, Tjeckien, Polen och Slovakien förespråkat, med bakgrund av att många oppositionella fortfarande är fängslade. Italien, Grekland och Lettland har vägrat att diskutera ytterligare sanktioner, med argumentet att folket kommer att bli lidande. Slovakiens utrikesminister Mikulas Dzurinda talade om sina egna erfarenheter från Tjeckoslovakien, från oppositionen, under kommunismen och den roll västmakterna spelade. Den hårda och tydliga position som visades gentemot regimen inspirerade folket snarare att göra dem modfällda. Det samma gäller för Belarus.

EU kan sätta press på regimen i Belarus. I slutet av januari antog Europaparlamentet en resolution om situationen i Belarus, där vi bland annat krävde att det under OSSE:s överinseende genomförs en oberoende och opartisk internationell utredning om det brutala våld som polisen och KGB använde mot de protesterande på valdagen. Europaparlamentet vill till följd av detta att det utlyses nyval enligt internationell standard. Dessutom efterfrågas ytterligare ekonomiska sanktioner.

EU måste fortsätta att stödja det civila samhället och oppositionen, stöd måste ges till människorättsorganisationer som konsekvent trakasseras av polis och säkerhetstjänst. Det finns flera exempel på hur människorättsorganisationer förhindras att utföra sitt arbete.

EU bör lätta på visumreglerna för belarusiska medborgare. EU bör också bredda sitt ekonomiska stöd till oberoende medier och icke-statliga organisationer som främjar demokrati. Samtidigt bör EU avbryta stödet till statligt ägda medier.

EU har makt att förändra. Nu är det upp till EU:s utrikesministrar att gå från ord till handling i rådet. Det handlar om att stå upp för det belarusiska folket. Solidariteten stannar inte vid EU:s gränser.

Åsa Westlund, Europaparlamentariker (S)

De belarusiska myndigheterna har har beslutat att svartlista mer än 150 representanter från EU och USA, som svar på EU:s sanktioner mot belarusiska myndighetsrepresentanter. Dessa kan således inte framöver få visum till landet.

”Dessa åtgärder gäller mer än 150 personer från EU och USA, bland dem ordförande för Europaparlamentet Jerzy Buzek, EU-parlamentarikern Jacek Protasiewicz och ett antal andra politiker, riksdagsledamöter, journalister kända för de mest kontroversiella initiativen gentemot regimen i Belarus,” har en källa i regeringen meddelat nyhetsbyrån Interfax-Zapad.

Han berättade också att inreseförbud redan har inrättats mot de personer som har haft värst attityd gentemot Belarus och som har spelat huvudrollen i att förvärra relationerna mellan Belarus och väst.

Läs mer: http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2011/3/21/36948/

My good sirs Europeans, look into the eyes of Danik Sannikov

As a person who is restricted to travel abroad as well, I cannot but be happy about the EU decision. But what good would it do to 3-year-old Danik?

This boy is known to the whole world now. Today he can see his arrested mother, but does he have any hope to see his father?

Today morning I thought that there is hope, but I am not sure now. Why Europe used half-measures again? Why do we see on the lists of persons banned entry to Europe the disreputable crew of the people who are engaged in total lawlessness and who are giving a bad time to the entire nation in the centre of Europe, but nothing more?

If the point is in my being sent into exile and Iryna Khalip’s being under house arrest, then count me out, it is not freedom. You, Europeans, should know that. I remember the scared faces of European journalists who had to hang about in Minsk airport for hours, trying to go thought tightened control measures before the elections. Within a few hours of stay in our country they realized where they had landed. I could not see that, but I can imagine their reaction after being beaten by truncheons of the Belarusian special forces on December 19.

And now imagine how we felt after we were “released.” I am no coward, but on the next day after being released from the KGB jail I left my house and bump up against an unknown person. He had usual inconspicuous clothes on. He asked how I was doing. My heart sank into my boots. “I will be arrested again,” I thought fatefully. It turned out that this man’s mother lives next to me, and he simply recognized me and wanted to support… I know that I will shudder every time seeing “inconspicuous men” and recalling their bursting into my office and my home, and the beatings and arrests all over the year 2010.

For his short life 3-year-old Danik had to see many of those men in plainclothes. Two of them are sitting in his house now. And if you think that a little boy does not understand anything, you are mistaken. When we met, a cheerful and sociable Danik talked unceasingly, and went to demonstrate all his toys. When searches were held in his apartment, Danik was hiding under the table and observed that silently. And after the barbarian attempts to place him to orphanage, he is asking his grandparents all the time: “Is it possible that evil people will took me from you?”

Danik is happy today certainly, as his mother is with him now. But he sees that two tough guys are guarding his mother; mother cannot go for a walk with him for some reason, and cannot come near the window for some reason… That’s because his mother is under arrest. And dad is still absent, though Danik is waiting for him. When dad, who bathed him before sleep, will come back?

I do not know what to answer to this question of Danik. Maybe the high ministers from the countries of the European Union, who have adopted a decision to impose only visa sanctions, know that? Or have they forgotten that today Andrei Sannikov, Zmitser Bandarenka, Alyaksandr Atroshchankau, Anatol Lyabedzka and many others are remaining behind the bars? Or have they some special plan, which is incomprehensible for me? Do they count on Lidziya Yarmoshyna’s starting to weep because she cannot see Paris, and conscience of all law-enforcers would wake, and they would retire?

History knows why Alyaksandr Kazulin and other political prisoners were released after the election in 2006. And you, dear Europeans, continue go around in circles. I am thankful to you for not forgetting us, I am thankful for showing solidarity and demanding our full and unconditional release. But maybe we’ve had enough of talk? While you are talking – we are serving time in jail.

Natallya Radzina

In the run up to the Council of Europe Ministers’ meeting on 31 January, Mr Lukashenka’s regime is again flirting with Europe. We are extremely concerned that his ploy will work once more, and that civilised European Ministers will believe in his good intentions. This is just what has happened previously. The Lukashenko regime keeps arresting people, searching their houses and offices but pays lip service to the demands made by many world leaders merely by changing the way some of the political prisoners are detained.

We would like to tell you how this farce has been conducted, based on communications directly with our close family members in Minsk, during the evening, Saturday 29th January..

Iryna KHALIP’s Transfer to House Arrest,statement by Irina Bogdanova, sister in law
(sister of Khalip’s husband):

Iryna Khalip’s family received no warning that she was going to be brought home to be placed under a supervised house arrest. Nobody had a chance to prepare her son, three year old Daniil for what was going to happen. At that time on the Saturday evening his father’s side of the family was visiting – that is Andrey Sannikov’s mother and his elder son with his family. The whole family is desperately trying to preserve some sort of normality by spending the weekend together and surrounding little Daniil with love and warmth. This family gathering was brutally interrupted by KGB officers who rang the bell and told everybody apart from Iryna’s parents (the official guardians of Daniil) to leave the apartment immediately. Andrey’s mother wasn’t allowed to see her daughter-in-law, Iryna, and she was instructed that she is not allowed to come and see her grandson in his home. She is permitted to meet him only outside the apartment where Iryna is kept under house arrest.

No consideration was shown either for the little boy or for the elderly parents. The whole family is in a state of distress. Danik and Iryna, of course, are ecstatic that they are together but immediately they have to learn to live under the constant supervision of two guards who stay in the house. We are talking about a child and a woman who is not a criminal, who has done nothing wrong. From my point of view this a direct violation of human rights and children’s rights. It is simply inhumane.

Vladimir NEKLYAEV’s Transfer to House Arrest,statement by Eva Neklyaeva, – his daughter:

Last night, 29th January, Belarusian State TV announced that my father would be transferred from prison and become under house arrest. However, the KGB didn’t officially inform his wife, nobody told her when her husband would be coming home. My father’s friends gathered at his home to wait. After hours of waiting, KGB men arrived and started sending people away, threatening them that ”if you don’t leave, we won’t bring Neklyaev home”. When the KGB men brought him home, they half dragged him out of a van, trying to get him as fast as possible through the crowd of supporters and journalists. Now for a few hours my father has been at home, with his wife and two security men. I called by telephone and asked if I am allowed to talk to my father, but was denied this. My father was dragged from hospital bed in the night of 19th December, and still requires medical attention. I do not understand why my father was not transferred to a hospital, but has been put under house arrest, where a doctor is not allowed to see him!

We make the following plea to the Foreign Ministers and other politicians of Europe:
We beg you not to pay any attention to these ‘gestures’. It’s only a game Lukashenko has played before. A leopard does not change its spots. The moment the EU approach softens he will have a free hand to do anything he wants. God save Belarus and its people then, … and the rest of Europe.

Irina Bogdanova states:
“I know my brother, I know that if he had a voice now he would have asked you not to let people of Belarus down. He would have not chosen this so called freedom for himself over the future and freedom of our country. Don’t let Lukashenka fool you again. Don’t let the people of Belarus suffer for another 5, 10, 15 years. “

We ask, please, do everything in your power to influence the decision of the Council of Europe to impose the strictest sanctions possible to stop this happening in the middle of Europe. Stop the fascism in our country, please.

Thank you,

Irina Bogdanova – sister of Andrey Sannikov
Eva Neklyaeva – daughter of Vladimir Neklyaev

Martin Uggla, ordförande för Östgruppen, har tidigare genomfört en granskning av Sveriges vapenimport från Belarus under åren 1996-2003, inom sitt arbete på Svenska Freds. Han kom fram till att Sverige då hade köpt vapen för 90 miljoner kr, samtidigt som det totala svenska demokratistödet till Belarus uppgick till ungefär 60 miljoner. Sverige bidrog alltså med mer pengar direkt till den belarusiska regimen än till demokratifrämjande åtgärder. Då ska man ha i åtanke att  just vapenförsäljningen utgjort en av regimens viktigaste inkomstkällor genom åren.

Läs mer om detta på Belarusbloggen.