Lukashenka playing innocent (Photo)

The Belarusian dictator deludes western journalists again.

In particular, he told in an interview to Reuters information agency:

“We are criticized for taking tough measures against demonstrators, but Lukashenka has never, not once, used tear gas or water cannon, against demonstrators. And that is what we have seen periodically in democratic Europe.”

However, on March 25, 2006, TV channels broadcasted dispersal of a peaceful demonstration by special task squads using tear gas, stun grenades, and rubber bullets. Some people remained unconscious after the attack, dozens got injuries of varying severity, more than 100 demonstrators were arrested. Alyaksandr Kazulin, organizer of the peaceful rally and presidential candidate, was sentenced to 5.5 years in prison, the website of the civil campaign “European Belarus” reminds.

Forceful dispersals of peaceful demonstration have become a trademark of modern Belarus. Thought demonstrations of the democratic opposition are peaceful, they are being toughly suppressed over Lukashenka’s rule. Almost every action, beginning from dispersal of a hunger strike of members of the Supreme Council in 1995 ends in dispersal, beating and arrests. Thousands of participants of peaceful protests went through prisons and administrative arrests, hundreds people faced criminal persecution during the years of Lukashenka’s rule. Ten democratic activists are sentenced to restraint of liberty for participation in peaceful protest action in January 2008. Representatives of independent media also suffer from actions by the law enforcement agencies.

The arrested and injured demonstrators do not have the right for fair trial, are deprived of the rights for defence in court, sentenced on grounds of false evidence of militiamen. Arrested demonstrators are often beaten, tortured, not given meal for a day or more, can’t receive medical aid and food parcels.

Brutal and cynical actions by officers of militia remain unpunished. So, in summer 2005, riot militiaman Y. Davidovich hit wife of the kidnapped journalist Zmitser Zavadskaya at her face during an action in memory of her husband before dozens of cameras. None of complaints against actions of riot militiaman and officers of other special squads has been satisfied during the rule of Lukashenka and the history of dispersals of peaceful protest actions.

On February 14 and 16, peaceful demonstrations dedicated to St Valentine Day and the Day of Belarusian Solidarity were brutally dispersed in Minsk. Actions of solidarity with Mikalai Autukhovich, who is on hunger strike since April 16, Yury Lyavonau and Uladzimir Asipenka have been held in Minsk since May 1. Every of these actions were dispersed by riot militia.

Besides, Lukashenka mentioned 12 conditions of the European Union on democratization of Belarus:

“These 12 steps appeared here, they are not your conditions. They were written here and passed to the EU by not very clever people who recommended the EU leadership to use this in the relations with Belarus,” A. Lukashenka noted. According to him, “these are so naive and unacceptable for us proposals, that it is funny.”

Lukashenka finds “naive”, “unacceptable” and “funny” proposals to release political prisoners, hold free elections, liberalize laws on media. Investigation of cases of disappeared opposition leaders was among 12 condition of the EU. The Council of Europe suspects the Belarusian authorities of involvement in these kidnappings.

The photos show the analogy between Lukashenka and Europe are out of place and comments are excessive.

An injured participant of peaceful protests against rigging the presidential elections results (Minsk, March 25, 2006)

Officers of special purpose squad armed with carbines during dispersal of a peaceful protest action (Minsk, March 25, 2006)

A soldier of special purpose task firing from a carbine at participants of the peaceful demonstration. This is most likely a carbine S-23 Selezen designed to shot rubber buckets and gas grenades. (Minsk, March 25, 2006)

Soldiers of special purpose squads beating women, who are trying to defend an injured participant of a peaceful protest demonstration (Minsk, March 25, 2006)

Special purpose squads using smoke grenades and tear gas (Minsk, March 25, 2006)

Riot militiamen carrying beaten “Young Front” leader Zmitser Dashkevich into a bus (Minsk, March 25, 2008)

Andrei Lyankevich, “Nasha Niva” photo correspondent, being detained (Minsk, March 25, 2008)

Zmitser Barodka, one of the leaders of the civil campaign “European Belarus”, beaten by riot militia during dispersal of the action of solidarity (Minsk, February 16, 2009)

Riot militiamen having fun during dispersal of a peaceful protest action (Minsk, February 14, 2009)

A gas grenade used against peaceful demonstrators (Minsk, March 25, 2006)

A stun or gas grenade, thrown at peaceful demonstrators (Minks, March 25, 2006)

An injured participant of peaceful protests against rigging the presidential elections results in front of militiamen (Minsk, March 25, 2006)

An armoured motor car in Minsk center before an opposition action (Minsk, March 25, 2000)

A water cannon in Minsk center before an opposition action (Minsk, March 25, 2000)

One of MAZ-based armoured cars used to disperse peaceful protest actions and guard arrested democratic activists (Minsk, March 23, 2006)

Vintsuk Vyachorka trying to defend his son Franak from brutal riot militiamen during the action dedicated to an anniversary of kidnapping of Viktar Hanchar and Anatol Krasouski (Minsk, September 16, 2008)