HUMAN-RIGHTS NGO DODGES LIQUIDATION FOR NOW

C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 000833 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2017 TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO SUBJECT: HUMAN-RIGHTS NGO DODGES LIQUIDATION FOR NOW Classified By: Ambassador Karen Stewart for reason 1.4 (d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) On September 26, authorities ended, at least temporarily, their effort to liquidate Supolnost, one of Belarus' few remaining registered independent human rights NGOs. However, civil society and opposition leaders believe the reprieve may be only temporary given Supolnost's plans to observe Belarus' 2008 parliamentary elections and its ongoing projects with U.S. NGOs. End Summary. NGO Dodges a Bullet... For Now -------------- ¶2. (U) On September 26, the GOB Ministry of Justice (MOJ) withdrew its order to liquidate the human rights NGO Supolnost. As a condition, Supolnost must submit documents for MOJ examination within 15 days. The stay of liquidation followed a September 25 court decision ordering the MOJ to find a "peaceful settlement." In July, the court had notified Supolnost Chair Sergey Matskevich of the MOJ's intent to revoke the NGO's legal registration because of its alleged cooperation with the unregistered Belarusian Association of Democratic NGOs (BADN). Moreover, the MOJ claimed Supolnost lacked a legal address (a condition for registration) and failed to respond to two written MOJ warnings. (Note: A 2005 law grants the MOJ power to deregister an NGO after one such warning. End note.) A Case Too Flimsy Even for a GOB Judge -------------- ¶3. (U) During the hearing, which Poloff observed, Supolnost representative Yuriy Chavusov provided the court copies of letters indicating that Supolnost maintained a legal address since its initial registration in December 2005. When the judge demanded to see records of MOJ correspondence, the GOB representative claimed that the records were unavailable. The judge then focused on GOB documents that seemed to show that Supolnost's cooperation with BADN was mainly aimed at helping BADN to register, an activity GOB law permits unregistered organizations. Following testimony by Supolnost activist and opposition Belarusian Popular Front Deputy Chair Andrey Sorotnik that disproved GOB allegations regarding his legal residence, the judge appeared frustrated and ordered the MOJ to settle the case within one month. GOB Motives: More than Meets the Eye? -------------- ¶4. (C) Also attending the hearing was BPF Chair and former Supolnost Chair Vintsuk Vyachorka, who noted to Poloff that the GOB's documentary evidence linking Supolnost to the BADN was seized by GOB security services without a warrant. Vyachorka speculated that the GOB sought Supolnost's liquidation because of its plans to observe Belarus' 2008 parliamentary elections and work with the U.S.-based Institute for Democracy in Eastern Europe (IDEE) to establish a "Center for Pluralism" in Belarus. Describing the judge's ruling as "the best we could have hoped for," Vyachorka seemed profoundly surprised and expressed his gratitude for the Embassy's presence and the USG's continuing interest in Supolnost's fate. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) The court's injunction against the MOJ's liquidation order was cause for relief for the Belarusian human-rights community. However, Supolnost's reprieve may be short in light of the NGO's plans to observe 2008 parliamentary elections, its links to IDEE, and its close association with opposition leadership. We will continue to monitor Supolnost's legal battles closely. Stewart