PROTESTER POSSIBLY DEAD, KOZULIN CHARGED FOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 MINSK 000369

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/31/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL
SUBJECT: PROTESTER POSSIBLY DEAD, KOZULIN CHARGED FOR
HOOLIGANISM, AND BEATEN POLISH AMBASSADOR STILL IN HOSPITAL

REF: A. MINSK 331


B. MINSK 223

C. MINSK 358

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



1. (C) Summary: Independent news sources on March 30
circulated a story that Sergei Otroshchenko, allegedly a
protester beaten by security forces on March 25 who
subsequently went missing, died from his injuries in a Minsk
hospital. The GOB denies the death and claims they have no
information about a hospitalized protester named
Otroshchenko. Journalists and human rights organizations
cannot confirm the story, but a credible source told Poloff
on March 31 the missing protester is actually alive and well
and is not named Otroshchenko. The OSCE and political
parties are asking people to report any information they have
about Otroshchenko. Meanwhile, the General Prosecutor,s
Office charged former presidential candidate Aleksandr
Kozulin with two counts of hooliganism and one count of
organizing a mass demonstration, which could earn him up to
six years in jail. Kozulin remains in the Zhodino detention
center and is still suffering from severe back pain. Former
Polish Ambassador to Belarus Mariusz Maszkiewicz, who was
arrested on March 24 and sentenced to 15 days, remains in the
hospital and 10 Coalition presidential candidate Aleksandr
Milinkevich,s deputy manager Viktor Kornyenko was fined for
possession of campaign materials. End Summary.

Protester Dead?
--------------


2. (C) On March 30, 10 Coalition presidential candidate
Aleksandr Milinkevich,s headquarters, independent news
source Belapan, and various Russian media reported that
Sergei Otroshchenko, allegedly the name of a protester
severely beaten by security forces on March 25, died in
Minsk,s ninth hospital on March 29. Otroshchenko, a
Grodno-based United Civic Party activist, and 65-year-old
Vladimir Shadinko, a protester who was shown on media
coverage lying lifeless on the street on March 25, were
severely beaten by riot police as they marched to the
Okryestina detention center (ref A). Neither protester has
reportedly been seen since March 25. Oleg Volchek, a
campaign manager for former presidential candidate Aleksandr
Kozulin, told Poloff on March 28 that both of the seriously
injured protesters were taken to Minsk Hospital 4 for
treatment before the Ministry of the Interior moved them to
undisclosed locations.


3. (C) The human rights NGO Vyasna contacted doctors at
Minsk,s ninth hospital, who claimed they could not list
patients who arrived or died on March 25 because the
registration books from that weekend were locked up. (Note:
Volchek on March 28 told Poloff that although over 20
protesters were treated at hospitals following the March 25
demonstration, no records exist of their injuries or
treatment. According to Volchek, a security service officer
accompanied each patient and either &doctored8 the records
or confiscated them.)

No Confirmation on Otroshchenko, But Shadinko Found
-------------- --------------


4. (SBU) The rumors of Otroshchenko,s death caused
journalists, political activists, and human rights
organizations to comb their contacts to find any information
about Otroshchenko,s whereabouts or alleged death. To date
they have been unsuccessful. Meanwhile, the search revealed
that the severely beaten Shadinko had been transferred to a
Vitebsk hospital and was released.


5. (C) The authorities claimed they do not have records of a
patient named Otroshchenko and called the rumors of a
protester,s death a baseless lie. On March 31, spokesperson
for Milinkevich Pavel Mazhienko told Poloff that a credible
source claimed the beaten protester was in fact not named
Sergei Otroshchenko and was alive and well. According to the
source, the protester was not disclosing his true name and
location since he was wanted by security services.
Milinkevich,s headquarters and the OSCE are asking anyone
with information about Otroshchenko to call their offices.

Other People Missing
--------------


6. (C) Volchek, who is the leading independent investigator

MINSK 00000369 002 OF 002


of the 1999-2000 disappearances and presumed murders of
political activists, told Poloff on March 31 that he too knew
nothing about Otroshchenko,s alleged death. However, he
concluded that if the GOB did not release information about
Otroshchenko in the next few days, it could be concluded that
the rumors of his death are true. Volchek added that three
members of Kozulin,s party are also missing after being
detained during demonstrations on March 19-25. (Note: The
three activists could be among the dozens of people sentenced
to 10-15 days in jail. The courts and prisons still have not
released many names of those detained.)

Kozulin Officially Charged, Still In Pain
--------------


7. (U) The General Prosecutor,s Office on March 30 formally
charged Kozulin under the criminal codes with two counts of
hooliganism in connection with the February 17 incident at
the National Press Center and his March 2 beating (Ref B) and
one count of organizing and participating in a group action
that disturbed the public peace on March 25. Each
hooliganism charge carries a prison sentence of up to six
years and the latter charge carries a prison sentence of up
to two years. Kozulin filed a complaint with the
Prosecutor,s Office calling the charges politically
motivated and issued a petition demanding the Supreme Court
invalidate the official presidential election results.


8. (C) Volchek said the lead investigator in Kozulin,s case
agreed to find the ALMAZ officers who beat Kozulin, but
Volchek doubts they will be brought to justice. Kozulin is
able to walk, but is reportedly still suffering from severe
back pain (ref C) and is not getting proper medical
treatment. He refuses pain-relieving shots from the prison
medics, fearing he could be poisoned, but takes tablets given
to him by his wife.


9. (C) Volchek and the rest of Kozulin,s campaign team is
distributing a petition asking for Kozulin,s release with
the promise that he will not leave Belarus to 100 of
Belarus, most famous and influential people. Volchek
believes the chances for Kozulin,s release depends solely on
President Lukashenko and the amount of international pressure
he faces.

Beaten Polish Ambassador Still in Hospital
--------------


10. (U) The Polish Embassy,s consular office reported on
March 30 that former Polish Ambassador to Belarus Mariusz
Maszkiewicz would remain in Minsk,s First Clinical Hospital
for several more days. Maszkiewicz was arrested on March 24
on October Square when security forces razed the tent city
and was sentenced to 15 days in jail (Ref C). On March 29,
Maszkiewicz was transferred from the Okryestina detention
center to a hospital after complaining of pain in his left
side. According to the Polish Embassy, doctors did not
approve of the electrocardiogram results and suggested a full
medical examination.

Milinkevich Deputy Fined
--------------


11. (U) A Zhlobin district judge in the Gomel region on March
31 fined Milinkevich,s deputy campaign manager Viktor
Kornyenko USD 70 dollars for violating electoral laws and
ordered 28,000 campaign booklets police seized from the
activist to be destroyed. According to the judge, the
slogans &Milinkevich Is The Next President8 violated the
electoral code, as Milinkevich is not the next president.
Kornyenko, who was severely beaten by &unknown8 men outside
his house on March 23, was not invited to the hearing. He
plans to appeal.

60 People Released From Jail
--------------


12. (U) At midnight on March 31, prison officials at
Staroborovski Trakt and Okryestina detention centers released
60 detainees who were arrested during demonstrations on March
19-25. According to an activist of the private
entrepreneurs, movement Aleksandr Makayev, he and fellow
activists met the prisoners upon their release and helped
many get home.
Krol