Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MINSK562
2007-06-29 14:50:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Minsk
how-toVZCZCXRO9726 PP RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHSK #0562 1801450 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 291450Z JUN 07 FM AMEMBASSY MINSK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6216 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE PRIORITY 1617 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 000562
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: POLITICAL PRISONERS GET NO AMNESTY
REF: A. 06 MINSK 1166
B. MINSK 399
C. MINSK 352
Classified By: Ambassador Karen Stewart for reason 1.4 (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 000562
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: POLITICAL PRISONERS GET NO AMNESTY
REF: A. 06 MINSK 1166
B. MINSK 399
C. MINSK 352
Classified By: Ambassador Karen Stewart for reason 1.4 (d).
1. (SBU) On June 29, the conclusion of the Belarusian
parliament's 2006-2007 session dashed hopes of a general
amnesty that might release several Belarusian political
prisoners. On June 25, GOB Interior Minister Vladimir Naumov
announced that the GOB's Presidential Administration (PA) had
been delaying submission of a proposed amnesty to parliament
for months because of disagreements within the PA over the
"exact definition of certain categories of citizens who could
be granted amnesty." Despite the delay, on June 27,
Belarusian MP Olga Abramova told us that the parliament still
expected to receive the bill by June 29, the last day of the
parliamentary session. (Note: In the past, the GOB has timed
such amnesties to coincide with the July 3 Belarusian
national holiday. End note.)
2. (C) Also on June 29, independent media published a letter
from imprisoned opposition youth organization Malady Front
(MF) leader Dmitriy Dashkevich that revealed that authorities
had denied Dashkevich conditional early release because of
numerous alleged violations of correctional facility
regulations (ref A). Dashkevich noted that authorities
informed him of their decision one day after interrogating
him regarding Ivan Shylo, a 16-year-old MF activist who
currently faces two years in prison on charges of running an
unregistered organization (ref B). Dashkevich's attorney,
Aleksandr Galiev, expressed outrage that authorities did not
notify him before interrogating Dashkevich and inform him of
the parole denial.
Comment
--------------
3. (C) Combined with the GOB's denial of parole to
Dashkevich, the failure of the PA to submit an amnesty
proposal to parliament speaks volumes about the ability or
willingness of PA Deputy Natalya Petkevich to convince the
hardliners of the need to make concessions to improve
relations with the United States (ref C). A general amnesty
excluding those imprisoned for their pro-democracy activities
was likely nixed by the PA because it would have drawn more
international attention and rebuke.
Stewart
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2017
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: POLITICAL PRISONERS GET NO AMNESTY
REF: A. 06 MINSK 1166
B. MINSK 399
C. MINSK 352
Classified By: Ambassador Karen Stewart for reason 1.4 (d).
1. (SBU) On June 29, the conclusion of the Belarusian
parliament's 2006-2007 session dashed hopes of a general
amnesty that might release several Belarusian political
prisoners. On June 25, GOB Interior Minister Vladimir Naumov
announced that the GOB's Presidential Administration (PA) had
been delaying submission of a proposed amnesty to parliament
for months because of disagreements within the PA over the
"exact definition of certain categories of citizens who could
be granted amnesty." Despite the delay, on June 27,
Belarusian MP Olga Abramova told us that the parliament still
expected to receive the bill by June 29, the last day of the
parliamentary session. (Note: In the past, the GOB has timed
such amnesties to coincide with the July 3 Belarusian
national holiday. End note.)
2. (C) Also on June 29, independent media published a letter
from imprisoned opposition youth organization Malady Front
(MF) leader Dmitriy Dashkevich that revealed that authorities
had denied Dashkevich conditional early release because of
numerous alleged violations of correctional facility
regulations (ref A). Dashkevich noted that authorities
informed him of their decision one day after interrogating
him regarding Ivan Shylo, a 16-year-old MF activist who
currently faces two years in prison on charges of running an
unregistered organization (ref B). Dashkevich's attorney,
Aleksandr Galiev, expressed outrage that authorities did not
notify him before interrogating Dashkevich and inform him of
the parole denial.
Comment
--------------
3. (C) Combined with the GOB's denial of parole to
Dashkevich, the failure of the PA to submit an amnesty
proposal to parliament speaks volumes about the ability or
willingness of PA Deputy Natalya Petkevich to convince the
hardliners of the need to make concessions to improve
relations with the United States (ref C). A general amnesty
excluding those imprisoned for their pro-democracy activities
was likely nixed by the PA because it would have drawn more
international attention and rebuke.
Stewart