BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

08/02/2008

Belarus: Public Appeal: Prisoner of Conscience: Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou Open this result in new window

Amnesty International

Belarus: Public Appeal

8 February 2008, AI Index: EUR 49/002/2008

Prisoner of Conscience: Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou

Amnesty International is calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou, ex-deputy editor of a weekly independent newspaper, whom the organization believes to be a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned solely for the peaceful exercise of his right to freedom of expression.

On 18 January 2008 Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou was sentenced by a Minsk city court to three years in a high-security prison, having been found guilty of "inciting racial, national, or religious enmity or discord" according to Article 130.1 of the Belarusian Criminal Code. The trial was held behind closed doors.

On 18 February 2006, the independent newspaper Zhoda (Today), where Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou was deputy editor, published cartoons displaying the Prophet Muhammad in an article reporting the global protests which followed the cartoons' original publication in the Danish newspaper in September 2005. On 22 February 2006, the Zhoda officers were raided by the Belarusian Security Services (KGB) and criminal proceedings were started a few days later. The newspaper was closed down in March 2006. Shortly afterwards, Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou reportedly left Belarus to avoid prosecution.

In November 2007, Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou returned to Belarus to visit his father's grave and was arrested on 18 November. He was held in detention until his trial, which took place in Minsk in January 2008, when he was sentenced to three years' imprisonment. The head of the Muslim community in Belarus reportedly opposed Alyaksandr Zdzdizhkou's sentence and the closing of Zhoda newspaper.

Background

Censorship of the media in Belarus is widespread. Television and radio broadcasters are effectively controlled by the state and restrictions are being introduced to monitor citizens' use of the internet. Additionally, Amnesty International has observed a pattern of increasing harassment, obstruction and intimidation by the Belarusian authorities towards opposition and independent print media. In 2007, journalists continued to be arrested and detained on spurious charges and the offices of various non-state newspapers, such as opposition newspapers Narodnaya Volya (People's Will) and Tovarishch (Comrade), were raided by the authorities with equipment being seized and publications being confiscated. Furthermore, contracts were terminated between state-run services and over a dozen non-state newspapers forcing them to source private or voluntary assistance, thereby greatly limiting their potential for production and distribution. The above measures are clearly being used by the Belarusian authorities in an attempt to restrict public access to information, curb the right to freedom of expression and stifle public debate. Amnesty International believes that the imprisonment of Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou is part of a pattern of continuing intimidation and harassment faced by the independent media in Belarus.

While Amnesty International does not condone the publication of the cartoons, which may exacerbate the current climate of Islamophobia and discrimination, the organization does not believe that the publication of the cartoons should lead to imprisonment on criminal charges. While governments are obliged to prohibit "hate speech" and may impose limited restrictions on other forms of expression to do so, such measures should only be applied in strict conformity with international human rights law.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Please send cards or letters of support and solidarity to Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou in prison. You can write in Belarusian, Russian, English or your own language. Your good wishes will be an invaluable source of support at this difficult time. If you would like to, you can send these messages in Belarusian:

I am thinking of you: ? ????? ??? ????

We are thinking of you: ?? ?????? ??? ????

I am wishing you well: ? ????? ???? ?????

We are wishing you well: ?? ?????? ???? ?????

Please send your greetings to:

Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou

ul. Volodarskogo, 2,

SIZO No. 8470, 1 MVD

Belarus

Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible to the Belarusian authorities, in Belarusian, Russian, English or your own language:

*

calling for the immediate and unconditional release of prisoner of conscience, Alyaksandr Zdzvizhkou *

reminding the Belarusian authorities of their obligations under Articles 19, 21 and 22 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Belarus is a state party, which guarantee the rights to freedom of expression, assembly and association;

Please fax or send your appeals to:

President

Alyaksandr G. LUKASHENKA

ul. Karla Marxa 38, 220016 Minsk, BELARUS

Fax: +375 172 26 06 10, +375 172 22 38 72

Salutation: Dear President Lukashenka

Procurator General

Petr P. MIKLASHEVICH

ul. Internatsionalnaia 22, 220050 Minsk, BELARUS

Fax: +375 172 26 41 66

Salutation: Dear Procurator General

Minister of Internal Affairs

Vladimir V. NAUMOV

ul.Gorodskoi Val 4, 220615 Minsk, BELARUS

Fax: +375 172 26 12 47

Salutation: Dear Minister

Source:

http://www.amnestyusa.org/document.php?lang=e&id=ENGEUR490022008

Google