Another Resident of Zhodzina Asks Ukrainian President for Political Asylum

Zmitser Chartkow states he is pressurized by Zhodzina authorities and the administration of Belarusian Academy of Arts, that’s why he has to ask President Viktor Yushchenko for political asylum.

The activist of “Maladaya Hramada”, former activist of Belarusian Academy of Arts Zmitser Chartkow passed his appeal for Viktor Yushchenko to the Embassy of the Ukraine in Belarus. In his interview to RFE/RL he thusly explained his deed:

-- I was made to take my documents away from Belarusian Academy of Arts. During the last electoral campaign some workers of secret services warned me about the possibility of physical liquidation and told us to be very careful. Then I was pressurized to take my documents away from Belarusian Academy of Arts. For me the main thing is to secure my family and friends from danger. That’s why I decided to make even more political step and file the request for political asylum in the Ukraine.

Recently Mr. Chartkow took his documents from Belarusian Academy of Arts, where he was a first-year student at the department of film-production. He says that the administration of this educational establishment insisted on it and that the reasons were his detention during the after-referendum opposition action of 19 October 2004 and participation in orange revolution in the Ukraine.

He was in the Square of Independence in Kyiv on 18-24 November 2004. Several days ago a similar appeal was filed a friend of Zmitser Chartkow, another participant of orange revolution Aliaksandr Vawchanin. In his appeal to Viktor Yushchenko Zmitser Chartkow also asks to give him the possibility to study at an artistic academy in the Ukraine.