KOZULINA APPROACHES AMBASSADOR TO HELP END

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 001248

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL BO
SUBJECT: KOZULINA APPROACHES AMBASSADOR TO HELP END
HUSBAND'S HUNGER STRIKE

REF: MINSK 1204

MINSK 00001248 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Ambassador Karen Stewart for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

Summary
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1. (C) Ambassador recently meet with Irina Kozulina, wife of
hunger striking imprisoned former opposition presidential
candidate Aleksandr Kozulin. Kozulina relayed to Ambassador
Kozulin's request that the U.S. raise the GOB's human rights
violations at the UN Security Council. She also asked that
the Embassy issue a public statement acknowledging receipt of
this request so that her husband might end the fast he
started on October 20. Expressing the Ambassador's deepest
concern for Kozulin's health, we released a statement on
December 1 calling for the release of all political prisoners
in Belarus. End Summary.

Kozulina and Korol Echo Kozulin's Call for UNSC Debate
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2. (C) On November 30, Ambassador met with Irina Kozulina,
wife of imprisoned opposition Belarusian Social Democratic
Party "Gramada" (BSDP) Chair and former opposition
presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin, and BSDP Deputy
Chair Aleksey Korol to discuss Kozulin's call for the U.S.
and/or other G-8 members to propose discussing GOB human
rights violations in the UN Security Council. (Note: Korol
informed Ambassador that he and Kozulina had similar meetings
with the German and French Embassies in Minsk on November 29.)


3. (C) When Kozulina asked whether such Security Council
discussions were possible, Ambassador communicated her
deepest sympathies for Kozulina and her family but noted that
the UN Human Rights Commission and other bodies were the
usual venues for such a topic. Ambassador also recalled the
recent passage of a U.S.-sponsored resolution on Belarus in
the Third Committee and President Bush's statement at the
November 28 NATO Summit. (Note: After the meeting, Korol
told Poloff that Kozulin believes that raising the
possibility of Security Council discussion on Belarus would
send a much stronger signal than an actual resolution in
other UN bodies.)

Kozulina Pulls Back to Find Way Out of Hunger Strike
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4. (C) Seeming to recognize the over-ambitiousness of her
husband's request, Kozulina asked Ambassador to issue a
public statement simply indicating that the Embassy would
relay to Washington Kozulin's request for Security Council
discussions. When Ambassador inquired as to the purpose of
such a statement, Kozulina responded that her husband would
likely end his hunger strike upon hearing that the U.S.
and/or EU governments had formally acknowledged his request.
(Note: Kozulin has been on hunger strike since October 20 in
protest of the start of President Lukashenko's fraudulently
elected third term in office (reftel).)


5. (C) Ambassador assured Kozulina that she would discuss
possible courses of action with Washington and European heads
of mission in Minsk. On December 1, the Embassy released a
statement that acknowledged that Ambassador had met with
Kozulina about the welfare of her husband and again called
for the release of political prisoners, but did not raise
UNSC action.

Authorities Finally Grant Kozulina Brief Visitation
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6. (C) Noting that authorities had finally permitted
Kozulina and Kozulin's daughter, Yuliya, to visit Kozulin for
15 minutes at the prison on his birthday, November 25,
Kozulina observed that her husband would likely hear about a
U.S. Embassy statement because the prison permits him to
listen to Radio Liberty in his cell. She added that Kozulin
had learned of the Third Committee resolution by radio and
expressed his gratitude to the United States.


7. (C) When Ambassador inquired about Kozulin's health,
Kozulina replied that his body temperature at 36 degrees
Celsius and blood pressure at 80/60 were low. Nevertheless,
she described him as surprisingly energetic and mentally
alert, despite losing over fifty pounds since the start of
his hunger strike.

But Continue to Deny Legal Counsel

MINSK 00001248 002.2 OF 002


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8. (C) Despite the prison administration's 15 minutes of
decency, authorities continue to deny Kozulin contact with
his attorney in prison to pressure him to end his hunger
strike (reftel). Kozulina related that the prison
authorities have further qualified conditions for legal
counsel. That is, Kozulin may meet with his attorney only
after he had ended his strike and after he has recovered from
the effects of his fast.

Embassy Again Denied Access to Kozulin
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9. (U) In its recent response to the Embassy's November 2
diplomatic note requesting access to Kozulin in prison, the
MFA denies Embassy visitation on the grounds that Article 10
of the Criminal Procedural Code only guarantees diplomatic
visits with foreigners imprisoned in Belarus. (Note: On
October 31, prison authorities permitted OSCE Head of Mission
Ambassador Ake Peterson to meet with Kozulin. End note.)

Comment
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10. (C) We deeply sympathize with Kozulina's efforts to find
a way out of her husband's hunger strike but neither we nor
our EU colleagues think can meet her request to call for a
UNSC debate. The onus for action on political prisoners
should remain on the GOB. Furthermore, we are not certain
that Kozulin will end his hunger strike even with such a
statement. (Note: OSCE Head of Mission Ambassador Ake
Peterson (protect) told Ambassador on December 4 that he had
written personally to Kozulin praising his struggle for
democracy but urging him now to end his hunger strike for the
sake of his future role. End note.)
Stewart