According to several reports, a rally organized by opponents of Belarus president Alexander Lukashenko to protest against the proposed merger with Russia, as well as the repression of opposition leaders, was held in Minsk on 17 October 1999 (AP 17 Oct. 1999; ibid. 18 Oct. 1999; RFE/RL 18 Oct. 1999). The rally, with an estimated attendance of between 10,000 and 20,000, was the largest anti-government demonstration held in Belarus since 1996 (AP 17 Oct.1999; The Guardian 19 Oct.1999; RFE/RL 18 Oct. 1999). Demonstrators burned the text of the draft union treaty between Belarus and Russia and a Russian Flag (ibid.; Interfax News Agency 18 Oct. 1999). Although the rally was authorized by city officials, the "March of Freedom" that followed was not (Interfax 17 Oct. 1999). Some 5,000 of the protesters marched towards the presidential residence, shouting anti-Lukashenko slogans (AP 17 Oct. 1999; ibid. 18 Oct. 1999; Interfax 17 Oct 1999). They were met by riot police, who reportedly beat them back with batons while the protesters threw stones and swung boards at the police officers (AP 18 Oct. 1999; BBC 17 Oct. 1999). The numbers of protesters and police officers injured vary between publications, as do the numbers of those detained. The Guardian reported that 40 demonstrators and five police officers were injured, and 90 protesters were arrested (19 Oct. 1999). Moscow ITAR-TASS reported that 47 police employees were hurt, while more than 200 demonstrators were arrested (17 Oct. 1999). Interfax reported that four policemen were injured, and that 15 demonstrators were detained (17 Oct. 1999), while the BBC reported that 50 protesters were arrested (17 Oct. 1999).

According to an Amnesty International report, some of the "reportedly over 200" detained were mistreated by the police (AI 28 Sept. 2000). In one incident detainees were "repeatedly kicked, punched, beaten with truncheons and forced to the floor of the police bus" in which they were taken to a holding centre (ibid.). One female detainee reported she was threatened with rape and verbally abused (ibid.). This information coincides with that provided by the Belarus human rights centres Vesna '96 and Charter-97 as published on a Belarusian information Website (Belarusian.com).

Among those arrested were Nikolai (Mikalay, Mikalai) Statkevich, leader of the opposition Social Democratic Party and Valery Schukin, deputy of the disbanded Supreme Soviet (AFP 18 Oct. 1999; RFE/RL 18 Oct. 1999; ibid 26 Oct. 1999). The following month Oles Belyatsky, head of the Belarusian human rights organization Vesna '96, was detained in connection with the march (Interfax 18 Nov. 1999). Police also briefly detained Olga Beklemishcheva, a Russian member of parliament who was reported to have taken part in the demonstration (Reuters 18 Oct. 1999; AFP 18 Oct. 1999).

On10 February 2000, Radio Free Europe reported that a Belarusian police officer published an open letter in the independent Narodnaya Volya, which stated that he and other plainclothes police officers were ordered to mingle with the marchers to "provoke clashes" and "shout abusive slogans." This is corroborated by a defector from the Belarusian Interior Ministry, who said that the clashes were deliberately provoked by the police (RFE/RL 22 Mar. 2000).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

Agence France Presse (AFP). 18 October 1999. "Belarus Opposition Leaders Arrested in Minsk As Protest Turns Violent." http://belarusian.com/protest/101799.htm [Accessed 11 October 2001] (Belarusian.com)

Amnesty International (AI). 28 September 2000. Belarus: Freedom March 2000 -- The Authorities Must Avoid Repeat of Last Year's Freedom March Crack-down." (EUR 49/022/2000). http://web.amnesty.org/802568F7005C4453/print/EUR490222000?OpenDocument [Accessed 12 October 2001]

Associated Press (AP). 18 October 1999. Marina Babkina. "Belarus Blames West for Clashes." http://belarusian.com/protest/101799.htm [Accessed 11 October 2001] (Belarusian.com)

_____. 17 October 1999. Marina Babkina. "Police, Protesters Clash in Belarus." http://belarusian.com/protest/101799.htm [Accessed 11 October 2001] (Belarusian.com)

BBC World Service. 17 October 1999. "Belarus Police Clash With Protesters." http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/europe/newsid_477000/477830.stm [Accessed 12 October 2001]

Belarusian.com. "March of Freedom of October 17, 1999, Minsk, Belarus." http://belarusian.com/protest/101799.htm [Accessed 11 October 2001]

The Guardian [London]. 19 October 1999. Ian Traynor. "Activists Face Jail in Crackdown After Minsk Riots." (Global News Wire/NEXIS)

Interfax [Moscow, in English]. 18 November 1999. "Belarus: Human Rights Leader Arrested in Minsk." (FBIS-SOV-1999-1118 18 Nov. 1999/WNC) [Accessed 12 October 2001]

_____. 17 October 1999. "Police, Opposition Supporters Clash in Minsk." (FBIS-SOV-1999-1017 17 Oct. 1999/WNC) [Accessed 12 October 2001]

Interfax News Agency [Moscow, in English]. 18 October 1999. "Opponents of Russia-Belarus Union Staged Clashes in Minsk." (Global News Wire/ NEXIS)

ITAR-TASS [Moscow, in Russian]. 17 October 1999. "Belarus: 47 Policemen Hurt in Clashes With Opposition." (FBIS-SOV-1999-1017 17 Oct. 1999/WNC) [Accessed 12 October 2001]

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) [Prague]. 22 March 2000. Newsline. Vol. 4, No. 58, Part II. "Demonizing the Belarusian Opposition." (IMD)

_____. 10 February 2000. Newsline. Vol. 4, No. 29, Part II. "Belarusian Officer Says Police Provoked 'Freedom March' Clashes." (IMD)

_____. 26 October 1999. "Belarusian Authorities to Prosecute More Protesters." http://belarusian.com/protest/101799.htm [Accessed 11 October 2001] (Belarusian.com)

_____. 18 October 1999. Newsline. Vol. 3, No. 203, Part II. "Belarusian Opposition Stages 'Freedom March'." (IMD)

Reuters. 18 October 1999. "Belarus Vows to Deal Firmly With Protests." http://belarusian.com/protest/101799.htm [Accessed 11 October 2001] (Belarusian.com)

IRB Databases

NEXIS

US Department of State Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 1999, 2000.

WNC

Internet sites including:

Amnesty International

Human Rights Watch

Prima