OPPOSITION PRESIDENTIAQ CANDIDATE BEATEN AND

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 02 OF 02 MINSK 000223 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/15/2016 TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO SUBJECT: OPPOSITION PRESIDENTIAQ CANDIDATE BEATEN AND DETAINED ¶7. (C) Accodding to BelaPAN reported Maryna Rakhlei (who did not witness these events herself),around no^n several of Kozulin's supporters were reportedly in a vehicle near the police station. A journalist took a number of photos of the situation, then got in the car. Security forces approached and demanded the camera. The car started to drive away and the security forces fired two@shots, one through the windshield and one int^ the tire. Rakhlei said the car made it around the corner where all hhe occupants jumped out@and escaped, except for the journalist who waf detained. Rakhlei believed no one was shot. Julia Slutskaya, editod in chief for KomsomoXskaya Pravda, told Post one of her journalistsQ had been seriously beahen, and is now in detenhion at the Leninskaya police station. She said that, despite rumors ho the contrary, her journalist had not been shot. At least two other journalists that have been beaten are believed to be at the Leninskaya police station. ¶8. (C) Around 1200 an ambulance arrived at the police station. At 1300 a doctor came out of the building and told reporters, "There is nothing to worry about." He would not say anything more other than confirming he came to check Kozulin. ¶9. (C) At 1400 independent newspaper BDG's web site reported Kozulin was being charged with starting a fight. Around this time Pol Chief spoke with Nikolay Lozovik, deputy head of the Central Election Commission, who claimed there was a conflict which security forces dealt with. He added that Kozulin enjoys no immunity from prosecution. (Lozovik also said that Milinkevich's planned public rally on March 2 is illegal and, consequently, the CEC has every right to disqualify him as a candidate.) Kozulin's campaign manager Grib 2eleased a public statement calling for authorities to ralease Kozulin and for prosecutors to file criminal charges against these responsible for beating him. Milinkevich issued a public statement expressing solidarity with Kozulin. ¶10. (C) Conclusions: Sources claim around 60 people are detained. A number of them have been beaten. No one has had contact with Kozulin since his detention. ODIHR defies rumors that any of its long term observers have been detained. Most independent news web sites are off the air and most of Post's contacts' cell phones are no longer functioning. Post will continue to follow and report. ¶11. (C) Comment: In his televised campaign speech on Fe`ruary 22, Kozulin openly attacked Lukashenko, including accusing Lukashenko of involvement in the 1999 and 2000 disappearances and of fathering a child by his mistress. Lukashenko has not been this baldly criticized in Belarus in years, if ever. Kozulin also was determined to force his access to the All Belarusian Congress, and he told visiting EUR DAS Kramer on February 24 that (e was prepared to go to jail, but that a non-#onventional approach to campaigning was needed. Unfortunately, Kozulin seems to be paying the price for his boldness. Krol