Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07MINSK956
2007-11-19 15:48:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Minsk
Cable title:
AMNESTY BILL PASSES UPPER HOUSE, NO RELIEF FOR POLITICAL
how-toVZCZCXRO0144 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDBU RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHSK #0956 3231548 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 191548Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY MINSK TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6659 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 0369 RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1734 RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
UNCLAS MINSK 000956
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR BO
SUBJECT: AMNESTY BILL PASSES UPPER HOUSE, NO RELIEF FOR POLITICAL
PRISONERS
Ref: Minsk 898
(SBU) The appointed upper house of the Belarusian parliament, the
Council of the Republic, unanimously passed an amnesty bill November
16. No changes were made to the draft that previously passed
parliament's lower house October 24; the draft will become law when
signed by the president. The bill reportedly would grant amnesty to
up to 2,550 persons and would save the GOB approximately BYR 2
billion (USD 930,000) annually. This amnesty is unlikely to extend
to Belarus' six internationally recognized political prisoners
(reftel) as they either have been cited for severe violations of
prison administrative rules or have not already served one-third of
their sentences.
Stewart
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PINR BO
SUBJECT: AMNESTY BILL PASSES UPPER HOUSE, NO RELIEF FOR POLITICAL
PRISONERS
Ref: Minsk 898
(SBU) The appointed upper house of the Belarusian parliament, the
Council of the Republic, unanimously passed an amnesty bill November
16. No changes were made to the draft that previously passed
parliament's lower house October 24; the draft will become law when
signed by the president. The bill reportedly would grant amnesty to
up to 2,550 persons and would save the GOB approximately BYR 2
billion (USD 930,000) annually. This amnesty is unlikely to extend
to Belarus' six internationally recognized political prisoners
(reftel) as they either have been cited for severe violations of
prison administrative rules or have not already served one-third of
their sentences.
Stewart