Opposition Leader Jailed in Belarus After Large Rally :: Charter'97 :: News

Belarus`s authoritarian government jailed the country`s most prominent opposition leader and several aides Thursday after a protest rally that attracted thousands. The action drew international condemnation.

The sentences imposed on Alexander Milinkevich and three of his deputies put into question the ability of activists to gather a substantial crowd at a demonstration planned for Monday in their campaign to drive President Alexander Lukashenko from power.

Milinkevich, who has spearheaded the wave of unprecedented protests since Lukashenko`s reelection last month, was sentenced to 15 days in jail. Other opposition leaders received similar sentences in connection with Wednesday evening`s rally, which drew about 10,000 people.

The United States, the European Union, NATO and the 55-nation Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe condemned Milinkevich`s jailing as a violation of democratic values and free speech. They demanded his release.

Lukashenko -- often described in Western countries as "Europe`s last dictator" -- won a third term in March 19 elections deemed fraudulent by the E.U. and the United States.

The 58-year-old Milinkevich, who ran against Lukashenko, has been a compelling and unifying figure for an opposition that incorporates widely diverse forces ranging from pro-Westerners to communists.

His jailing could deprive the next protest of its emotional center and increase demonstrators` fear of gathering in defiance of the authorities. At the same time, it could boost supporters` willingness to gather in the face of official repression.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice described the jailings as "reprehensible," and said she hoped the government in Minsk would "accept the will of the international community that it act in accordance with accepted international principles."

The jailings appeared to sharply escalate authorities` attempts to repress the opposition. Although a variety of opposition figures have been arrested in recent weeks, most of them do not have the wide visibility of Milinkevich at home or abroad. In recent weeks, Milinkevich has made several trips to Western countries to seek support for the opposition.