CSCE disturbed by Belarus abuses (06/09/96)

CSCE disturbed by Belarus abuses

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (CSCE), a joint congressional-executive body created to monitor compliance with the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act of 1975, recently expressed its concern with ongoing human rights abuses in Belarus.

In a May 16 letter addressed to Belarusian Ambassador to the U.S. Syarghei Martynau [the ambassador uses the spelling Serguei Martynov], CSCE members criticized the detention, on questionable charges of "organizing group actions which disturb the public order" of Yuriy Khadyka and Vyachaslau Sivchyk of the Belarusian People's Front.

Messrs. Khadyka and Sivchyk were arrested, along with over 200 others, after riot police and special forces violently dispersed a 30,000 strong demonstration in Miensk against a union treaty with Russia.

In particular, stated the letter, Mr. Khadyka was denied access to an attorney and his family; both men had gone on hunger strikes, and Mr. Sivchyk has since been hospitalized due to related complications.

The CSCE letter also questioned police beatings of journalists covering the April 26 demonstration, arrests of Belarusian people's deputies, administrative detention of civilian demonstrators as well as the continued holding of seven Ukrainian citizens who took part in the anti-Lukashenka rally.

All these developments "call into question [the Belarusian] government's commitments under the Helsinki Final Act and subsequent OSCE [Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe - ed.] agreements," said the letter.

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