Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MINSK857
2007-10-10 16:16:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:
OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS JAILED AHEAD OF EUROPEAN
how-toVZCZCXRO5819 RR RUEHDBU RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHROV RUEHSR DE RUEHSK #0857 2831616 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 101616Z OCT 07 FM AMEMBASSY MINSK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6558 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1692 RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 000857
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/17
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS JAILED AHEAD OF EUROPEAN
MARCH
Classified By Ambassador Karen Stewart for reason 1.4 (d).
Ref: Minsk 853
C O N F I D E N T I A L MINSK 000857
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/17
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS JAILED AHEAD OF EUROPEAN
MARCH
Classified By Ambassador Karen Stewart for reason 1.4 (d).
Ref: Minsk 853
1. (U) Ahead of the democratic opposition's October 14
European March (reftel),GOB security services have
detained several opposition leaders and activists. On
October 8, Minsk police arrested march organizer Yevgeniy
Afnagel soon after he met with authorities to discuss the
European March and held him incommunicado until a closed
court sentenced him to 10 days in jail for allegedly
cursing in public. The following day, a Gomel court
sentenced opposition United Civic Party (UCP) Regional
Chair Vasil Palyakov and Deputy Vladimir Katsora to seven
days in jail on the same charge. On October 5, BKGB
officers had raided UCP's Gomel office and confiscated six
computers and three copiers.
2. (C) At a press conference on October 10, UCP Chair
Anatoliy Lebedko described the arrests as intended to
disrupt march preparations and prevent the U.S. and EU
Ambassadors from visiting with march coordinators during
their planned visit to Gomel on October 12. Noting
opposition youth leader Aleksandr Atroshchenkov's October 9
arrest and confiscation of Atroshchenkov's computer and
materials promoting the march, opposition Belarusian
Popular Front (BPF) Chair Vintsuk Vyachorka asserted to
Poloff that the GOB was strategically targeting activists
in charge of coordinating transportation of march
participants from the regions to Minsk. Although Vyachorka
observed that the regime might prefer a few, well-targeted
arrests to minimize damage to its EU relations, he would
not rule out a larger wave of detentions.
Comment
--------------
3. (C) So far, pre-emptive arrests have not yet been on
scale with those in the run up to the March 25 and July 27
demonstrations. The GOB likely senses greater
international scrutiny because the march has sharply
focused EU attention on Belarus' place in a wider European
context. However, we would not be surprised if these
arrests are merely the opening volley for more pre-emptive
detentions on the eve of the march.
Stewart
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/10/17
TAGS: PGOV PHUM BO
SUBJECT: OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS JAILED AHEAD OF EUROPEAN
MARCH
Classified By Ambassador Karen Stewart for reason 1.4 (d).
Ref: Minsk 853
1. (U) Ahead of the democratic opposition's October 14
European March (reftel),GOB security services have
detained several opposition leaders and activists. On
October 8, Minsk police arrested march organizer Yevgeniy
Afnagel soon after he met with authorities to discuss the
European March and held him incommunicado until a closed
court sentenced him to 10 days in jail for allegedly
cursing in public. The following day, a Gomel court
sentenced opposition United Civic Party (UCP) Regional
Chair Vasil Palyakov and Deputy Vladimir Katsora to seven
days in jail on the same charge. On October 5, BKGB
officers had raided UCP's Gomel office and confiscated six
computers and three copiers.
2. (C) At a press conference on October 10, UCP Chair
Anatoliy Lebedko described the arrests as intended to
disrupt march preparations and prevent the U.S. and EU
Ambassadors from visiting with march coordinators during
their planned visit to Gomel on October 12. Noting
opposition youth leader Aleksandr Atroshchenkov's October 9
arrest and confiscation of Atroshchenkov's computer and
materials promoting the march, opposition Belarusian
Popular Front (BPF) Chair Vintsuk Vyachorka asserted to
Poloff that the GOB was strategically targeting activists
in charge of coordinating transportation of march
participants from the regions to Minsk. Although Vyachorka
observed that the regime might prefer a few, well-targeted
arrests to minimize damage to its EU relations, he would
not rule out a larger wave of detentions.
Comment
--------------
3. (C) So far, pre-emptive arrests have not yet been on
scale with those in the run up to the March 25 and July 27
demonstrations. The GOB likely senses greater
international scrutiny because the march has sharply
focused EU attention on Belarus' place in a wider European
context. However, we would not be surprised if these
arrests are merely the opening volley for more pre-emptive
detentions on the eve of the march.
Stewart