BKGB ARRESTS ELECTION OBSERVERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 000192

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: BKGB ARRESTS ELECTION OBSERVERS

REF: A. 05 MINSK 1343


B. 05 MINSK 1537

Classified By: Classified by Ambassador George Krol for Reasons 1.4(B,D
)


1. (C) On February 21, BKGB officers arrested four
pro-democracy activists, Partnership leaders Nikolay Astreyka
and Enira Bronitskaya, NDI employee Aleksandr Shalaika
(strictly protect),and Timofei Dranchuk, aide to imprisoned
opposition member Andrei Klimov. They arrested the first,
Dranchuk, around 1100 when he left to buy flowers for his
wife's birthday. Dranchuk's wife told the press that after
his arrest, BKGB agents searched their apartment for three
hours and seized a number of items and documents, including
their computer, every book Klimov had written, and even
newspapers dating back five years. The BKGB subsequently
told Dranchuk's wife that her husband would be held for
questioning for three days.


2. (C) Several hours later the BKGB arrested Nikolay
Astreyka, head of the election observation NGO Partnership,
and his deputy Enira Bronitskaya. Both were arrested at
their homes, which the BKGB searched. Astreyka's wife told
the press that the BKGB agents were wearing masks during the
arrest and pointed a gun at Nikolay. She was also told the
BKGB would hold her husband for three days. The BKGB seized
computers and documents from both apartments. The press
reports these three are being charged with slandering
President Lukashenko and acting on behalf of an unregistered
organization.


3. (C) The Vyasna human rights NGO told Poloff that the BKGB
simultaneously searched ten offices and apartments of
Partnership activists across the country. Independent press
reports that the BKGB searched offices and apartments in
Polotsk, Novopolotsk, Mogilev, Brest, Bykhov, Vitebsk, and
Gomel. Web site Charter 97 claimed the BKGB seized computers
from some of these sites. Vyasna said all those arrested are
being charged with the latest amendments to the criminal code
which took effect in late December, such as slandering the
president or acting against the interests of Belarus (ref B).
The National Democratic Institute's David Hamilton (which
funds Partnership's activities-strictly protect) told Embassy
Kiev that the BKGB raided Partnership's Minsk office and two
offices in the regions, seizing all their computers, but
leaving money and receipts untouched. Hamilton also claimed
that a third Partnership activist is being charged with
slander, that another is fleeing to Russia to avoid charges,
and that
police questioned a local Partnership leader, but have not
filed charges.


4. (C) Also on February 21, the BKGB arrested NDI's main
Belarusian employee (strictly protect),Aleksandr Shalaika,
and detained him at least overnight. (Note: NDI believes
Shalaika was arrested on the 19th, and has been in BKGB
detention since. Post has been unable to confirm.) On
February 22, Poloff spoke with Vera Stremkovskaya, legal
representative to Shalaika, Astreyka and Dranchuk. She said
all three are being held in the BKGB's "Amerikanka" detention
center. Despite press reports, she did not know how long
they will be held or what they will be charged with. Human
rights contacts told Post Stremkovskaya was meeting with her
clients in the afternoon on the 22nd.


5. (C) Comment: In the 2004 parliamentary elections
Partnership fielded 3,500 independent election observers, who
documented a large number of election violations and
irregularities. This decapitation strike by the BKGB will
severely limit if not destroy Partnership's ability to
observe the March 19 presidential elections, particularly
since many Partnership activists were already skittish from
previous arrests in October (ref A). This time around, even
though Lukashenko has stacked the deck completely in his
favor, the regime is taking no chances and is using every
repressive tool in its toolbox to make sure Lukashenko wins
by an overwhelming majority, and there is no color revolution
in Minsk.
Krol