Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MINSK1270
2006-12-12 12:00:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:  

Prison Cannot Stop Pro-Democratic Activists

Tags:  PGOV PINR PREL BO 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO2845
RR RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHROV RUEHSR
DE RUEHSK #1270/01 3461200
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 121200Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY MINSK
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5424
INFO RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1373
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 001270 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT ALSO FOR INR
KIEV ALSO FOR USAID

E.O. 12958: 12/11/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL BO
SUBJECT: Prison Cannot Stop Pro-Democratic Activists

Refs: A. MINSK 1222, B. MINSK 1213, C. MINSK 1166, D. 05 MINSK

601, E. MINSK 1248, F. 04 MINSK 1214, G. MINSK 403, H. MINSK 408

Classified By Charge Jonathan Moore for reason 1.4 (d).

Summary
-------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 001270

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT ALSO FOR INR
KIEV ALSO FOR USAID

E.O. 12958: 12/11/2016
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL BO
SUBJECT: Prison Cannot Stop Pro-Democratic Activists

Refs: A. MINSK 1222, B. MINSK 1213, C. MINSK 1166, D. 05 MINSK

601, E. MINSK 1248, F. 04 MINSK 1214, G. MINSK 403, H. MINSK 408

Classified By Charge Jonathan Moore for reason 1.4 (d).

Summary
--------------


1. (C) Former political prisoners and the friends and family of
opposition activists currently in jail gathered December 7 at
Ambassador's residence. The event marked the second occasion in
recent months that the Embassy has hosted a reception for these
champions of democracy. The attendees described to Ambassador
and Emboffs the poor Belarusian prison conditions and their
reengagement in pro-democratic activities. The activists
expressed their appreciation of continued U.S. support and
gratitude for such Embassy receptions, which gave them a chance
to meet with colleagues in a setting other than in a courtroom.
End summary.

Prison Conditions Below Par
--------------


2. (C) On December 7, Ambassador hosted a reception for released
political prisoners and the family of jailed opposition
activists. Former MP Nikolai Skrebets, who was released on
November 15 after serving 1.5 years for alleged illegal business
activities (ref A),described the poor conditions at the Vitba -
3 (Vitebsk oblast) prison facility where he served time with
former presidential candidate Aleksandr Kozulin. When Skrebets
first arrived at Vitba, he was kept in a small, dark, rat-
infested basement cell with "true" criminals for the first four
days. His bed was a hard bench on the floor. Food was minimal,
showers prohibited, and the guards were apathetic to the
prisoners' needs. Skrebets' cell had no ventilation, forcing
him to share the same air with tuberculosis-infected convicts.
After four days, Skrebets was moved to a regular cell, given
fresh clothes, a haircut, a shower, and better food, but he
would not call the conditions a great improvement.

A Sage Among Criminals
--------------


3. (C) According to Skrebets, he was the only convict in Vitba
with an education (until Kozulin's arrival). From day one, the
prisoners treated Skrebets and Kozulin with respect. Skrebets
passed the time teaching some prisoners how to read and even

created a prison newspaper, although small in distribution. The
prisoners were not interested in politics but respected Skrebets
and Kozulin for their fight against the authorities, whom the
prisoners "naturally" hated with a greater passion.

Contact and Visitations Not a Right
--------------


4. (C) Irina Kozulina, wife of jailed presidential candidate
Aleksandr Kozulin, noted that prison authorities only let her
visit her husband once in the last two months and prohibited
Kozulin from making or taking phone calls (ref B). Skrebets
confirmed this, citing his own experience of authorities
prohibiting him from making phone calls or seeing his wife.
Vyacheslav Dashkevich, father of convicted youth leader Dmitriy
Dashkevich, who was sentenced to 18 months on November 1 for
running an unregistered organization (ref C),explai.ed to
Poloffs that he was required to obtain permission from the head
of the Minsk city executive committee, who has repeatedly
refused to see him.


5. (C) Tatiana Severinets, mother of former Malady Front leader
Pavel Severinets -- who was sentenced in 2005 to two years
"khimiya" (restricted freedom) for organizing and participating
in an unsanctioned demonstration (ref D) -- had similar
difficulties. Severinets is allowed unaccompanied leave to his
parents' home in Vitebsk, but authorities on multiple instances
have refused to grant Severinets this privilege. During the
March 2006 presidential elections, authorities accused
Severinets of using obscenities, starting a fight with a fellow
convict, and theft as a reason to deny him leave. Recently,
authorities had refused to grant Severinets an already approved
three-day leave to his parents' house. However, after Tatiana
threatened to call the press, Severinets was allowed to go to
Vitebsk.

Prison Gives Impetus To Ficht
--------------


MINSK 00001270 002 OF 002



6. (C) The former political prisoners who spoke with Ambassador
have renewed their pro-democratic activities. Skrebets and his
brother plan to help the Belarusian Social Democratic Party in
campaigning for Ko:ulin's release. Irina Kozulin explained her
lobbying efforts with th% EU to discuss her husband's case at
the UN Securidy Council (ref E). Valeriy Levonevskiy and
Aleksander Vasiliev, who in 2004 were sentenc%d to 2 years in
2004 for slandering Lukashenko and released in July 2005 and May
2006, respectively (ref F),are campaigning for prisoner rights
and prison reform. Yguth leader of the now dissolved "Zubr"
movement and onetime political prisoner Nikita Sasim (ref G)
moved from Baranovichi to Minsk to promote civil-society
development, recruit the youth in the fight against the
Lukashenko regime, and support c/alition leader Aleksand2
Milinkevich's "For Freedom" movement.

Marinich's "Resurrection" i. Politics
--------------


7. (C) Former political prisoner Mikhail Marinich, who underwent
treatment in Latvia after serving two years in prison for
alleged theft (ref H),informed Ambassador of his two primary
political goals; reform the electoral code and develop a
political-economic policy for the opposition. According to
Marinich, in order to have free and fair elections, early voting
must be prohibited and all parties should have seats on election
commissions and access to mass media. Marinich denied
aspirations contesting the next presidential election in 2011,
claiming he wanted to work with Milinkevich, who was with him
when they met President Bush at an event on the margins of the
recent NATO Summit in Riga. Marinich described President Bush's
statements at the Summit as further impetus for the opposition
to be active and "do something."

Comment
-------------- Q


8. (C) The former political prisoners and their families many
times throughout the evening expressed appreciation for the
Embassy's continued support /f their fight against the
Lukashenko regime. Many indicated that the Ambacsador's
receptio., the second with families of repressed political
activists and former political prisoners, gave them the
opportuni4y to meet with their colleagues in a setting other
than the courtroom and meet fellow activists who they had only
read about. The dismal stories of prison life made everyone
happy that those present were now free, but sad for their
colleagues and family members who remain behind bars. However,
despite the hardships t(ey face, these activists showed no
indication that they were going to give up their fight for a
free and democratic Belarus.

MOORE