A LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender) rights conference was supposed to take place in Minsk tomorrow (November 11). I planned to take part on the behalf of ILGA-Europe.
I went to the Belarusian Embassy in Brussels on Monday, November 6, and I was very skeptical over the possibility to get a visa, due to the very repressive nature of the Belarusian regime and the short time. It was strikingly surprising that they granted me a visa immediately. I found an official brochure while I was queuing and it was ridicolous how it described the Belarusian government, especially the president Lushashenko, saying that he won the elections fairly and that now he is very committed to the respect of human rights and the rule of law.
Well, take a look to what happen.....................
Gomel, 08 November 2006: Today, at 8:20 pm the special police forces brokeinto the apartment where the meeting of Organizing Committee of theInternational LGBT Conference took place and arrested seven people:Vyacheslav Andreev, Sviatlana Bortnik, Svyatoslav Sementsov, Tanya Ivanova,Aleksei Filipenko, Natallia Kavalchuk, and Viachaslau Bortnik. TheConference materials have been seized. Activists have been brought to theZheleznodorozhnyi Borrow Police Department and interrogated. Police officersasked for detailed information on the program of the conference, list ofparticipants, and venue of the conference. International guests were of thespecial interest of police. Four of activists have been released after towhours of detention.According to our information at 10:25 pm, Vyacheslav Andreev, SvyatoslavSementsov and Viachaslau Bortnik of Organizing Committee remain to stay atthe police station. Two activists who are taking duty near the entrance tothe Zheleznodorozhnyi Borrow Police Department confirmed that they haven'tleft the building and their cell phones are switched off.
Gomel, 09 November 2006: Today, at 17:30 Vyacheslav Andreev, SvyatoslavSementsov and Viachaslau Bortnik were released after 22 hours of detention.Yesterday, at 8:20 pm the special police forces brokeinto the apartment where the meeting of Organizing Committee of theInternational LGBT Conference took place and arrested seven people. TheConference materials have been seized. Activists have been brought to theZheleznodorozhnyi Borrow Police Department and interrogated. Four ofactivists have been released esterday after two hours of detention.Please note that Sviatlana Bortnik hasn't ever been arrested as it was mentioned in very first argent alert. Please accept our apology for mistake. The correct name of the activist is Sviatlana Siarheichyk.As activists said, Police officers asked for detailed information on theprogram of the conference, list of participants, and venue of the conference. International guests were of the special interest of police. Police check their cell phones and contacts in address book.According to our information, Vyacheslav Andreev and Svyatoslav Sementsov are in Gomel now. Viachaslau Bortnik went to Minsk. They'll write more about last two days soon.The Organizing Committee decided to postpone the International LGBT Conference in Minsk because of sedurity reasons and threat of personal safety of the participants.
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