1999

FROM THE EDITORS

Thirteen long days and nights. Thirteen day of mockeries on the elementary rights of citizens.

I would like to thank at once all people who had helped my family for these 13 days, who tried to visit me in the prison cell. A friend in need is a friend indeed. In this issue I shall try to draw all "charm" of our light lukashenko’s tomorrow in which I had appeared from May 5 till May 18 1999, thanking to the beforehand prepared and planned provocation of the employees of special services, MIA and the municipal executive committee.

I strongly regret that when I was absent the reprisals against my supporters began, that the provocateurs who for some roubles because of the animal fear and small “gifts” from the authorities had betrayed our common business. The strike of businessmen started 1.05.99 can be considered successful. The trade union started the action of the protest in the organised way and the trade union finished it in the organised way. Correctly, whether the strike is ceased or not is the second problem. We do not allow the split. As the trade union while I was absent had taken a decision it should be executed. There should be discipline, first of all. Any organisation is strong not only with the number of its members and financial security but also with the discipline. If we use a sporting nomenclature this round we have scored but with small odds but we still had forces for decisive shock (knockout), you have shown your strength but also the authorities also were prepared: isolated the chairman of the trade union, "attacked" the active workers, "bought" a pair of the black sheep, organised the a lot of provocations and other retaliation. Certainly, it was possible to achieve much more. The trade union attempts to give chance to the authorities to satisfy our requirements in a full volume by the talks. But while they (authorities) do not find time for us. I can not have a talk with anybody. It is very important for us to know your opinion - whether you are ready to begin the new Action of the protest from 1.07.99 (everywhere in the republic it is planned to stop payment of taxes and other payments as the businessmen of Grodno have done). This action will be considered by us as the warning for the Authorities. The trade union has extracted very much lessons from this action. It is necessary to change methods of struggle with people who are at the office and who have lost not only conscience, decency and other human qualities but also making punishable crimes against fundamental laws and freedom of the citizens.

It is necessary to strength our trade union by the staff, finance, organisational structures. We invite people, who can change the chairman of the trade union in a case if he will be arrested again to co-operate with us. The summer will be very hot, especially in the Republic of Belarus. The trade unions will tell the decisive word. Even the representatives of the foreign states mark that circumstance that the businessmen in the Republic of Belarus are the main political force which is capable to oppose to dictatorship. We have all for this purpose - structures, money, relative independence, international support and comprehension. If someone from businessmen thinks that it is not necessary for him to be engaged in the politics he may not be engaged in it but he has to support financially people and movements which try to improve his working conditions. From our point of view the businessmen should essentially influence the policy in the state. At all events, in West, in the USA and in all civilised countries the state policy is influenced mainly by the businessmen’s structures and organisations. Therefore there minimum wage is up to 1000 dollars of the USA, pensions are up to 3000 dollars of the USA, the wretched and needy people are protected by the state, and man who works receive really worthy earnings. And in our country instead of the solution of a simple problem, people are put in prison.

You today have the choice - to be put in prison tomorrow or to struggle for the rights today. Your chairman has made the choice. I shall go up to the victorious end even if it cost much to me. All that our trade union demands from you is your support. When you are sure in your family, friends, rightness of the business then it is easier to suffer forfeiting and troubles.

On a photo: Marina and Valery Levonevsky, meeting in DDIA of October district in Grodno after 13 day in «lukashenko’s torture-chambers»

DREGS

Do officials understand that they become dregs free or involuntarily? (dregs are insignificant men causing contempt). These people being covered by the shoulder-straps, positions, corrupt connections and impunity steal, scoff at the people, put people on political grounds in the prison, rob to the formal and far-fetched reasons. Nobody is forgot, nothing is forgot. The time runs fast. Soon, we will have the new President who will assign the new procurator … In a system of MIA, CSS, Public prosecutor's Office there are a lot of talented, decent and intelligent professionals. But, unfortunately, their arms are tied. They will tell their word under other conditions, when the country will really be ruled by the worthy citizens of the country instead of chatters and swindlers. What should we feel to people who are temporarily at the office, who pursue and attempt to erase not only active people but also their families? Examples are vivid. All of you are the witnesses of this facts. Daily bribes of different inspectors, unpunished actions of militiamen. They arrested Valery Levonevsky for the realisation of the unauthorised meeting, earlier they had doubly detained his son (to establish the person, having torn the child’s clothes), now they attempt to put to prison Alexander Vasiliev for realisation of the unauthorised meeting at the market at May 5,6,7, threatening to kill him, the employees of regional financial investigations 18.05.99 hurt without reason the wife of A. Vasiliev, Natasha, try to institute criminal cases against some active workers of the trade union.

Mysterious deaths of Gennady Karpenko and Arnold Pechersky, disappearance of Vinnikova and Yury Zakharenko, more than three thousand reprisals of the authorities against the participants of the elective company of the President of Belarus, Mikhail Chigir is in prison ….

What can we oppose against this terror? At first openness. The criminals always are afraid that their crimes will be made known. The information which we have is sent to "Internet" and organisations engaging in the accumulation and systematisation of these materials. A time-bar on these crimes is large (till 10 years), therefore these business can be reviewed by the new procurator within 10 years from the moment of committing a crime.

Secondly, creation of powerful public structures and support of those which have already exist.

In the third mutual assistance. When militiamen or representatives of the tax committee scoff at your neighbour do not be not afraid to represent yourself as a witness. In the fourth preventive measures. Try to offer to the man in the uniform or at the position not to commit wrongful acts and to not lose human appearance. In 90 % cases it works.

Nicolay Pogranichny

THE TERROR OF THE AUTHORITIES AGAINST THE CITIZENS IN GRODNO CONTINUES

18.05.99 in Grodno the vice-president of the Grodno trade union of businessmen Alexander Vasiliev was arrested at 9.40.

The arrest was made at the building of October DDIA where A. Vasiliev had come to meet Valery Levonevsky from the place of arrest.

A. Vasiliev was arrested without assertion charges to him, he against his was delivered to the militia, was prohibited to receive legal help, the militiamen expelled the lawyer and the chairman of trade union who had come to him.

He will be necessarily charged in what he have never made. Widespread in October DDIA of Grodno tortures, intellectual and physical mockeries are not eliminated concerning A. Vasiliev. According to words of A. Vasiliev he has already been threatened to be killed (the appropriate application for the fact of the threat to kill is sent to prosecutor's office Лof Leninsky district in Grodno).

A. Vasiliev is charged with the organisation of meetings at the market at 5,6,7, of May. 19.05.99 the court was held. A Tarasenko went further. He in general approves that A. Vasiliev from 1 to 10 organised meetings at the market. The protocol A. Vasiliev was made up at 18.05.99 and with the roughest legal errors to what we have paid attention of the court. For this reason the protocol is was returned to DDIA of October district to "make it correct". The time and place of the court on A. Vasiliev is while kept by the authorities in a steep secret. There is an active search for “witnesses" on the business from the employees of militia and others structures which are controlled by them.

4 militiamen and one representative of the management of the market have already been found.

The documents which we have testify that the organiser of the meeting is …. Tarasenko (director of CJC “The Ware market”) and the management of the market. Who can represent himself as a witness on the part of the trade union address to the trade union (72-00-72).

18.05.99 the employees of the Grodno regional financial investigations have seized by arms the wife of A. Vasiliev Natasha on the far-fetched excuse – breach of currency operations. Two sturdy men trailed the defenceless woman for arms through all market and delivered her to Gorky street. There she was attempted to sign different papers but they did not find dollars and achieved nothing they let her go home but she was all black and blue.

When a normal man asks why it was impossible to issue all documents in the place of the "offence" or directly in the department of the militia at the market, we have only one answer – Natalia was attempted to be provoked, to be humiliated and to be charged with the thing she has never committed.

Valery Levonevsky

How prisoners are contained behind the bar or some pieces from interview SN

As it is known according to the decision of the court of Leninsky district of Grodno (the judge is Yaroshevich) Valery Levonevsky was convicted to 13 days of arrest for realisation of unauthorised meeting in Grodno on fabricated charge.

5.05.99 Valery Levonevsky was arrested back at the office and he was put in prison.18.05.99 he was released and he saw the blue sky for the first tine for thirteen days. But everything in its order.

SN. Why were you arrested only at 5.05.99, the decision of the court about your arrest was taken 27.04.99?

V. L. The decision of the court was accepted when I was absent, at this time I was on funerals of the well-known Belorussian businessman, my friend, the chairman of the strike committee of businessmen, active member term of the team of M. Chigir A. Pechersky who died at rather mysterious circumstances. I learned in Minsk that I had been convicted. It was very difficult to find a judge (he has left on holidays at once) and the militia did not want to arrest me as they did not have the order with sample. From my point of view the authority specially waited to arrest me on May 5-6.the matter is that I have sent the applications to realise 14 meetings and pickets which were planned to be conducted from May 8 till May 16 on the topics - «Freedom to Mikhail Chilgir», «Against union of Russia and Belorus» (10-11 in Grodno the signing of the appropriate agreements was planned), «Against the outrage of local and republican authorities». Besides I am the active supporter of Mikhail Chigir and I represent his concerns in Grodno and Grodno region. Well and the elections of the president as it is known are planned on 16.05.99.

SN. Do the authorities achieve their purpose in connection with your arrest?

V. L. Certainly not! We have achieved the purpose. 10-11 all visits were cancelled, the elections of the President in Grodno region passed more than successfully, the strike of businessmen was realised on high level and in organised way. Moreover, due to such actions of the authorities people have seen a true face of the authority, the mask of hypocrisy and lie was taken off from «the servants of the people», well and I have gained huge quantity of the new supporters.

SN. You have told about the new supporters, who these people are?

V. L. The businessmen, workers, teacher, students, the unemployed, pensioners, representatives of trade unions, political parties, state structures and foreign embassies. There were a lot of rings and messages for my family. For example the Ambassador of the USA Daniel Spekhard who was with a short visit in the Republic of Belarus sent a following fax:

Dear mister Levonevsky.

I very much regret that I had no a capability to see you at the reception in Minsk. I am deeply concerned with the fact of your detention for the attempt of peace political will. I hope that in the future we can meet.

SN. Let's return to your arrest. What do you feel at the "lukashenko’s" torture-chambers, what conditions of the contents were you submitted?

V. L. I was completely searched, selected all things, including legal literature (codes of RB) and a pen. They took for the services 1.300.000 roubles. Then I was put to a dark, dump, tight and cold bar to the vagabonds, drug addicts, alcoholics and criminals. For 13 day I had changed three chambers. It was necessary to sleep on a goal, cold floor (every prisoner is approximately given 30-40 cm of the floor to sleep, live and eat).

Full unsanitary conditions, feed 1 time in day (two spoons of kasha, and some spoons of “soup’’, you go on the call of the nature just in the bar to the bucket, it smells terribly from decomposed urine (imagine a room of 4*5 meters in which there are up to 22 men, a majority of whom were found at the street). They permit to go to the toilet once (!) per day, at 6.00, the water to wash is absent in the bar. They permit to drink unboiled water from a bucket. But they gave only one cup which has not been washed for 5 years. There were neither douche or hot water in that prison. And you see there are people who sit there for 1-2 months. Infectious ill and healthy people are in one room. Approximately from 20.00 to the morning the wild cries of people who are tortured to achieve "frank confession" reach from the building of DDIA. Add to this my personal full isolation - the prohibition to ring (even to the lawyer), prohibition on transfers, appointments with children and wife (my wife by hours stood under the rain, but the militiamen did not let her even see me). There was a full prohibition to work for me (not output), though according to the law I had to work.

There are not all "charm" of the «Lukashenko’s torture-chamber». I am afraid of one thing-soon all country can appear in such conditions.

SN. What are you going to do further?

V. L. As to the breaches of my rights and legitimate interests when I was in prison I shall originate a number of judicial proceedings and criminal cases.

In public and political life I am going to actuate my work. I have understood one thing - it is necessary to use each minute of freedom to struggle with this mode or Belarus soon will become a large concentration camp.

Continuation of the subject in the following issue.