Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MINSK477
2006-05-03 14:43:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:
Small Protest Jeopardizes Remaining Free Activists
how-toVZCZCXRO2599 RR RUEHFL RUEHLA RUEHMRE RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHSK #0477 1231443 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 031443Z MAY 06 FM AMEMBASSY MINSK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4340 INFO RUCNOSC/ORGANIZATION FOR SECURITY COOPERATION IN EUROPE RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1134 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
UNCLAS MINSK 000477
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
KIEV ALSO FOR USAID
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL BO
SUBJECT: Small Protest Jeopardizes Remaining Free Activists
Ref: A) Minsk 470, B) Minsk 459
UNCLAS MINSK 000477
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
KIEV ALSO FOR USAID
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL BO
SUBJECT: Small Protest Jeopardizes Remaining Free Activists
Ref: A) Minsk 470, B) Minsk 459
1. On May 1, Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada head
Stanislav Shushkevich led approximately 300 people carrying signs
and waving banned national flags from the Belarusian National
Academy of Sciences (NAS) to Bangalore Square for a rally in honor
of Labor Day (ref A). [Note: While authorities had granted
permission for a rally at Bangalore Square, the march from NAS to
Bangalore Square was not sanctioned by the GOB. End Note.]
Speakers, including Ten Plus Coalition leader Aleksandr
Milinkevich's wife Inna Kulei and United Civic Party (UCP) deputy
Alexander Dobrovolsky, addressed a crowd of approximately 500
demonstrators calling for an end to short-term labor contracts and
demanding the release of political prisoners, especially
Milinkevich, Belarusian Popular Front head Vintsuk Vyachorka,
Belarusian Party of Communist head Sergei Kalyakin, and trade
unionist Aleksandr Bukhvostov, who were imprisoned after the April
26 Chernobyl Shliakh (ref B).
2. Immediately following the demonstration, police ordered
Shushkevich to report to the Minsk Pervomaisky district police
station on May 3 to explain his involvement in the unauthorized
march from NAS to Bangalore Square. Independent media news source
Belapan reported that Shushkevich did not appear at the police
station on May 3 since he was attending a conference in Vilnius.
Also on May 1, traffic police stopped the car of Minsk city UCP
leader Igor Shinkarik and brought him to the Sovietsky district
police station.
3. A state "news" crew from Belarusian Television (BT) harassed
and videotaped Pol/Econ Chief and POLOFF as they observed the May 1
demonstration. [Note: On the April 30 evening news show, BT
claimed that Pol/Econ Chief was directing the April 26
demonstration since he was talking on his cell phone during the
demonstration and gesturing at the participants. BT also showed
footage of Pol/Econ Chief attempting to jaywalk across a busy
street during the demonstration, claiming that he did not observe
Belarusian traffic laws. End Note.]
KROL
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
KIEV ALSO FOR USAID
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PINR PREL BO
SUBJECT: Small Protest Jeopardizes Remaining Free Activists
Ref: A) Minsk 470, B) Minsk 459
1. On May 1, Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada head
Stanislav Shushkevich led approximately 300 people carrying signs
and waving banned national flags from the Belarusian National
Academy of Sciences (NAS) to Bangalore Square for a rally in honor
of Labor Day (ref A). [Note: While authorities had granted
permission for a rally at Bangalore Square, the march from NAS to
Bangalore Square was not sanctioned by the GOB. End Note.]
Speakers, including Ten Plus Coalition leader Aleksandr
Milinkevich's wife Inna Kulei and United Civic Party (UCP) deputy
Alexander Dobrovolsky, addressed a crowd of approximately 500
demonstrators calling for an end to short-term labor contracts and
demanding the release of political prisoners, especially
Milinkevich, Belarusian Popular Front head Vintsuk Vyachorka,
Belarusian Party of Communist head Sergei Kalyakin, and trade
unionist Aleksandr Bukhvostov, who were imprisoned after the April
26 Chernobyl Shliakh (ref B).
2. Immediately following the demonstration, police ordered
Shushkevich to report to the Minsk Pervomaisky district police
station on May 3 to explain his involvement in the unauthorized
march from NAS to Bangalore Square. Independent media news source
Belapan reported that Shushkevich did not appear at the police
station on May 3 since he was attending a conference in Vilnius.
Also on May 1, traffic police stopped the car of Minsk city UCP
leader Igor Shinkarik and brought him to the Sovietsky district
police station.
3. A state "news" crew from Belarusian Television (BT) harassed
and videotaped Pol/Econ Chief and POLOFF as they observed the May 1
demonstration. [Note: On the April 30 evening news show, BT
claimed that Pol/Econ Chief was directing the April 26
demonstration since he was talking on his cell phone during the
demonstration and gesturing at the participants. BT also showed
footage of Pol/Econ Chief attempting to jaywalk across a busy
street during the demonstration, claiming that he did not observe
Belarusian traffic laws. End Note.]
KROL