Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06MINSK903
2006-08-18 13:29:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:
MINSK AUTHORITIES LIQUIDATE KALYAKIN'S OPPOSITION
how-toVZCZCXRO4515 PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHSK #0903 2301329 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 181329Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY MINSK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4944 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1259 RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE PRIORITY RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 000903
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: MINSK AUTHORITIES LIQUIDATE KALYAKIN'S OPPOSITION
COMMUNIST PARTY
REF: MINSK 764
Classified By: Charge Jonathan Moore for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 000903
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: MINSK AUTHORITIES LIQUIDATE KALYAKIN'S OPPOSITION
COMMUNIST PARTY
REF: MINSK 764
Classified By: Charge Jonathan Moore for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) Summary: On August 17, authorities liquidated the
Minsk chapter of the Belarusian Party of Communists for
alleged violations of "registration protocol" in 1999. The
closure of the Minsk chapter would result in the de facto
liquidation of the party -- headed by senior united
opposition leader Kalyakin -- on a national level. The BPC
is currently drafting a formal complaint/response. End
Summary.
(Short) Notice Given
--------------
2. (U) On August 17, the United Civic Party's website
reported that the Minsk chapter of the Belarusian Party of
Communists (BPC) received a notice of liquidation from the
legal office of the Minsk City Executive Committee
(gorispolkom). According to the gorispolkom, the BPC's Minsk
chapter allegedly violated protocol in 1999 when registering
its legal address. The BPC refuted the accusation, claiming
that this "violation" from seven years ago had not once been
brought to their attention and noted that the Minsk BPC
chapter had successfully reregistered in 2005 in accordance
with current Belarusian legislation. The BPC accused the
gorispolkom of using current political party laws to judge
actions that were legal in 1999.
National Party Liquidation To Follow
--------------
3. (C) National BPC deputy Valeryy Uklyanov on August 18
confirmed to Poloff the liquidation notice, but stressed that
the situation was more serious. Uklyanov pointed out
Belarus' current political party law that requires all
national parties to have a legal party chapter in Minsk in
order to be registered. If the Minsk BPC chapter were to
close, it would mean a violation of Belarusian legislation
and the default liquidation of the national BPC.
4. (C) Uklyanov said the BPC leadership is drafting a formal
complaint to send to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) next week
and is prepared to go to court if necessary. In a court
trial, Uklyanov predicted the authorities could try to use
two arguments to liquidate the BPC. First, after the August
Ministry of Justice inspection of the BPC, authorities could
try to claim the BPC has fewer than the necessary 1,000
members required by law for registration. Uklyanov told
Poloff that they are prepared to counter this allegation with
membership lists containing more than 1,000 names. (Note:
BPC leader Sergey Kalyakin told Emboffs on July 20 the BPC
could easily prove it had over 5,000 members (reftel). End
note.) Therefore, Uklyanov predicted that the GOB would have
to utilize the lack of a legal address as the second argument
to liquidate the Minsk BPC chapter. (Note: The GOB's second
argument also seems weak given that the GOB renewed the Minsk
BPC's registration in 2005. End note.)
Comment
--------------
5. (C) Kalyakin has long anticipated a frontal assault on his
BPC, which began with a GOB initiated merger attempt between
Kalyakin's party and the pro-government Communist Party of
Belarus. The liquidation notice, however, came as a surprise
and the politically motivated pretext is absurd.
Nevertheless, it would not be out of character for the
authorities to latch on to a minor technicality in order to
harass and marginalize the opposition.
Moore
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/17/2016
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: MINSK AUTHORITIES LIQUIDATE KALYAKIN'S OPPOSITION
COMMUNIST PARTY
REF: MINSK 764
Classified By: Charge Jonathan Moore for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (U) Summary: On August 17, authorities liquidated the
Minsk chapter of the Belarusian Party of Communists for
alleged violations of "registration protocol" in 1999. The
closure of the Minsk chapter would result in the de facto
liquidation of the party -- headed by senior united
opposition leader Kalyakin -- on a national level. The BPC
is currently drafting a formal complaint/response. End
Summary.
(Short) Notice Given
--------------
2. (U) On August 17, the United Civic Party's website
reported that the Minsk chapter of the Belarusian Party of
Communists (BPC) received a notice of liquidation from the
legal office of the Minsk City Executive Committee
(gorispolkom). According to the gorispolkom, the BPC's Minsk
chapter allegedly violated protocol in 1999 when registering
its legal address. The BPC refuted the accusation, claiming
that this "violation" from seven years ago had not once been
brought to their attention and noted that the Minsk BPC
chapter had successfully reregistered in 2005 in accordance
with current Belarusian legislation. The BPC accused the
gorispolkom of using current political party laws to judge
actions that were legal in 1999.
National Party Liquidation To Follow
--------------
3. (C) National BPC deputy Valeryy Uklyanov on August 18
confirmed to Poloff the liquidation notice, but stressed that
the situation was more serious. Uklyanov pointed out
Belarus' current political party law that requires all
national parties to have a legal party chapter in Minsk in
order to be registered. If the Minsk BPC chapter were to
close, it would mean a violation of Belarusian legislation
and the default liquidation of the national BPC.
4. (C) Uklyanov said the BPC leadership is drafting a formal
complaint to send to the Ministry of Justice (MOJ) next week
and is prepared to go to court if necessary. In a court
trial, Uklyanov predicted the authorities could try to use
two arguments to liquidate the BPC. First, after the August
Ministry of Justice inspection of the BPC, authorities could
try to claim the BPC has fewer than the necessary 1,000
members required by law for registration. Uklyanov told
Poloff that they are prepared to counter this allegation with
membership lists containing more than 1,000 names. (Note:
BPC leader Sergey Kalyakin told Emboffs on July 20 the BPC
could easily prove it had over 5,000 members (reftel). End
note.) Therefore, Uklyanov predicted that the GOB would have
to utilize the lack of a legal address as the second argument
to liquidate the Minsk BPC chapter. (Note: The GOB's second
argument also seems weak given that the GOB renewed the Minsk
BPC's registration in 2005. End note.)
Comment
--------------
5. (C) Kalyakin has long anticipated a frontal assault on his
BPC, which began with a GOB initiated merger attempt between
Kalyakin's party and the pro-government Communist Party of
Belarus. The liquidation notice, however, came as a surprise
and the politically motivated pretext is absurd.
Nevertheless, it would not be out of character for the
authorities to latch on to a minor technicality in order to
harass and marginalize the opposition.
Moore