Belarus Authorities Threaten to Shut Down Opposition

The Ministry of Justice of Belarus officially warned opposition parties and movements that their activities might be stopped because of participation in the presidential campaign, not sanctioned by the authorities, that started on May 6 and will last for 10 days.

"In connection with the participation of a number of parties in so-called 'elections of the President of the Republic of Belarus,' the Ministry of Justice issued a written warning to 13 parties and movements. This fact could be cause for refusal of these parties' and unions' registration," reads the statement published on May 11.

By decree of Belarus President Alyaksandr Lukashenka, whose term should have terminated in July but was extended at the referendum until the year 2001, all parties and movements must be reregistered before July 1 of this year.

Moreover, the condition of registration is official recognition of the changed Constitution that has concentrated all power in the  President's hands and formed the National Assembly.

"We understand that our front can be closed down, for we do not recognize the changes in the Constitution, but we cannot give up the elections, the citizens' natural right. Now we are seeing before our eyes the destruction of every principle of democratic society," Yuri Khodyka, Deputy Head of Belarus National Front told The Day.

According to the data of the opposition central election committee, over one million of 7.3 million of the electorate have voted during the first four days of the opposition presidential elections, which comes to 15% of the necessary 50% plus one vote.

The members of election committees come to the electorate's homes offering ballots with two candidacies, Zenon Pozniak, the political ОmigrО who runs the BNF from abroad, and Mikhaila Chigir, former Prime Minister who is confined before trial and accused of embezzlement (Amnesty International has named Chigir a prisoner of conscience).

"The head of the Homel committee, Yevgeny Murashko, has been detained for ten days, and over 50,000 ballots have been confiscated in several regions. In all, since the beginning of the campaign in February more than 1000 people have been warned, fined and arrested, Alyaksandr Koktysh, Press Secretary of the central election committee told The Day.

Last week in Minsk the chief of Chigir's election headquarters, ex-Minister of Internal Affairs Yuri Zakharenko completely disappeared. Proceedings against him were instituted for obstructing police activities. The Ministry of Internal Affairs does not have at its disposal any information concerning Zakharenko's whereabouts.

Criminal proceedings against CEC head Viktor Honchar were instituted for usurpation of power, for which he might be imprisoned for up to two years. He has already spent ten days in custody, despite protests from international organizations, the Council of Europe, and the USA.

The West did not recognize the results of the referendum in Belarus, but the opposition elections have been completely supported by only the USA, where Congress adopted an appropriate resolution at the end of April.

Minsk