Blacklisted Belarusian KGB chief travels to Rome - torture no problem?

"There have been numerous reports that the Belarusian KGB headed by Vadzim Zaitsau tortured political prisoners arrested after the presidential election on December 19. 2010. Zaitsau threatened presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov at an interrogation to kill his wife and son."

(Dictator Lukashenka - friend with Ahmadinejad)
(Foreign minister of Iran visiting Belarus 5-7 march)
(The Economist: Belarus and the EU)
(Ban on leaving Belarus for opposition activists imposed?)
(Torture testimony: former presidential candidate Ales Michalevic)

Torture no obstacle to visiting Rome?

A visit of the Belarusian KGB chief to Italy is wrapped in obscurity.

Last week, Belarusian KGB chief Vadzim Zaitsau was sent on a work trip to Italy by the Belarusian authorities. This information can be found on the website of the National Centre of Legal Information.

Order No. 84 on sending Zaitsau on a work trip to Rome was signed the Belarusian PM on February 28. The document was put on the National Register of Legal Acts on March 2.

The KGB department for information and public relations refused to give more details to TUT.by noting “details about the event are the inside information”.

The KGB refused to say the date of the visit.

Vadzim Zaitsau is on the list of Belarusian officials banned from entering the EU over election standards violations in Belarus. It is not the first time, when blacklisted Belarusian officials have visited the EU this year.

Minister of internal affairs Anatolly Kulyashou paid a visit to France on January 17-20. The minister obtained a French visa on the request of Interpol. The Embassy of France said the EU visa ban does not work if officials visit events organized by international organizations.

There have been numerous reports that the Belarusian KGB headed by Vadzim Zaitsau totured political prisoners arrested after the presidential election on December 19. 2010. Zaitsau threatened presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov at an interrogation to kill his wife and son.

http://charter97.org/en/news/2012/3/6/48947/

Dictator Lukashenka - friend with Ahmadinejad:

Lukashenka has a fellow feeing for the leadership of Iran because of the external pressure on this country.

“We are very sorry about the things going on around Iran, because sometimes we also become targets of such attacks, although these attacks are not so tough,” Lukashenka said during his meeting with Foreign Minister of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi on Thursday in Minsk.

“Belarus is closely watching the situation around Iran, and we do care,” Lukashenka noted. “We are vocal opponents of any dictate and pressure on countries by other countries. We believe that no one should tell a sovereign and independent country what it should do and how,” he stressed.

Lukashenka said that he is sure “Iran holds a similar view.” He also noted that “any leadership of any country should work to offer a better and more stable life for their citizens.” “I know that your President and the parliament and the spiritual leader are working towards these goals and we support this policy,” the dictator stated.

The dictator stated that he views the visit of the head of the Iranian Foreign minister “as an opportunity to evaluate the bilateral relations at this difficult stage and to revise the ongoing programs to some extent.” “I hope that you with your Belarusian colleague will do it and I will be thankful if this work leads to broader cooperation between our countries,” Lukashenka said.

In his turn, the head of the Iranian Foreign Ministry said that it was a great honor for him to meet the ruler of Belarus. “You are very famous in Iran, and I have always wanted to get a chance to meet with such a remarkable man,” Ali Akbar Salehi said.

“You are positively perceived by our people because you have always sought to be independent.” “We know that the desire for independence has a price and it should be paid. You and your people have displayed great fortitude over the last 20 years. This is why Belarus enjoys such a high status on the international political arena,” Ali Akbar Salehi said.

“Yes, you may have encountered certain problems and experienced pressure, but in the end you will emerge winners because we believe justice will prevail,” the Iranian minister stated.

Ali Akbar Salehi conveyed the best wishes “from Doctor Mahmoud Ahmadinejad”. He informed he met Mahmoud Ahmadinejad before his visit to Minsk. During the meeting Iranian President asked to tell Lukashenka that Iran “is considering new approaches and a possibility of a new start in our relations.”

The Iranian Minister conveyed an invitation from the leadership of the country for A. Lukashenka to visit Iran.

http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2012/3/6/48967/

 

Irans FM to visit Belarus on 5-7 march

Foreign Minister of the Islamic Republic of Iran Ali Akbar Salehi will be on a visit to Belarus on 5-7 March, BelTA learnt from the press service of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry.

On 6 March, the Iranian Foreign Minister will meet with his Belarusian counterpart Sergei Martynov.

The diplomatic relations between Belarus and Iran ware established in March 1993. In December 1997 Belarus opened its embassy in Iran. The Iranian embassy opened in Minsk in February 2001.

The two countries have developed close political ties. Visits are exchanged on a regular basis. The two countries signed 36 interstate and inter-sectoral agreements, including a package of basic economic agreements.

Belarus’ major exports to Iran are acrylic fiber and cord. Their supplies rose by 46.6% in 2011 and made up $60.3 million. In 2011 Belarus exported trucks worth $43.1 million to Iran ($26.2 million in 2010); taking into consideration machine sets the figure stands at about $46.8 million.

http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2012/3/6/48958/


The Economist
Belarus and the EU

http://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2012/03/belarus-and-eu

On March 7, the leader of the United Civil Party (UCP), Anatol Lyabedzka, was told on the Belarusian-Lithuanian border he was not permitted to visit the EU.

“I am at Kamenny Loh border checkpoint now,” Anatol Lyabedzka told ucpb.org. “I was forbidden to enter the EU territory. They do not explain why I am banned from leaving Belarus. They only said I could learn it from appropriate agencies in Minsk. They do not know the reasons, but their computer says I am denied to leave the country. I got a ‘denied’ stamp” in my card.”

It was earlier reported about a list of 108 opposition activists who will be banned from leaving Belarus for calling to toughen sanctions against the Lukashenka regime.

http://www.charter97.org/en/news/2012/3/7/49011/

(Ban on leaving Belarus for opposition activists imposed?)




Torture testimony (former presidential candidate Ales Michalevic)
http://www.freebelarusnow.org/about-belarus/human-rights/



Photo: KL (Oppositions flag, Belarus)