APPEAL OF RELATIVES OF CONSCIENCE PRISONERS AND KIDNAPPED POLITICIANS

We, mothers and children of the well-known Belarusian politicians and public activists who have disappeared during the recent years and of the conscience prisoners who languish in Belarusian prisoners, appeal to Your parental and filial feelings, asking to support our struggle for the right to know the truth about the fate of our relatives.

Our pain and sufferings have lasted since the moments when our relatives had disappeared. The situation we are in reminds of the times of Stalin’s repressions that are restored in the present Belarus with Lukashenka’s efforts.

I am Zakharanka Iulia Ryhorauna, mother of Iury Zakharanka, ex-Minister of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Belarus. The last time I saw him was on May 5, 1999. He disappeared two days after, on May 7, 1999. I am bailed with hard thoughts, such as whether I will see him before my death. I go to the grave of my major son everyday and pray there for both of them. At this time Belarusian authorities rest on their oars in investigation of the violent kidnap of my son. Help me.

I am Hanchar Zinaida, wife of Viktar Hanchar (born in 1957 , well-known Belarusian politician, consequent and straight-out opponent to Lukashenka and his regime. I haven’t had any information about the fate and location of my husband for four years already. I have submitted dozens of appeals to State bodies with the claim to hold a legal investigation of the violent kidnap of my beloved. It is hard for me to look in the eyes of Viktar’s mother and our son, they are always wet with tears and where I can see the question to which I still can’t find any answer.

I am Krasouskaia Iryna, wife of the businessman Anatol Krasouski who has been kidnapped together with the politician Viktar Hanchar on September 16, 1999. During all these years the authorities and the investigation have treated my questions to them with hostility, lies and indifference. My daughters and me have the right to know who has kidnapped our nearest and dearest man and who has given the order for it. Every crime that remains uninvestigated and unpunished, ensues in greater-scale crimes.

I am Zavadskaia Volha Ryhorauna, mother of Zmitsier Zavadski, cameraman, born in 1972. He elucidated the official life of the head of the country for several years. During his work at ORT he filmed both Chechen wars. I found out about the disappearance of my son in the morning of July 8, 2000. This telephone call divided my life in the years of happiness and years of waiting. For all these years I still haven’t received any answer to the main questions: where is my son and what has happened to him? Zmitsier’s wife and son wait for him together with me.

Regretfully, this list can be continued. The tragic history is supplemented with prisoners of conscience. Iury Korban, born in 1978, vice-Head of BPF Vitsiebsk city organization, Head of “Center of Youth Initiatives “Contour”, disappeared on January 19, 2002. Iury Bandazheuski, born in 1957, professor of medicine, the first Belarusian scientist who started to study the influence of small radiation dozes on the health of citizens of the territory, radioactively polluted by Charnobyl accident. On June 18, 2001 he was sentenced to 8 years of imprisonment.

We call You to apply to governments of Your countries and ask them to support our demands of lawful investigation of the kidnaps.

Contact address: hanchar_zinaida@list.ru