By Madeline Schiesser
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
MINSK, Belarus – Last November, authorities in Vitsebsk, Belarus arrested Andrei Haidukou, 23, an opposition activist, on suspicion of espionage activity. In the months since then, the government has failed to bring forth evidence of the alleged spying, and yet Haidukou’s family is not permitted to see him and his attorney has repeatedly been denied access to him since December.
The Belarusian State Security Committee (KGB) claims that Haidukou “gathered and passed political and economic information on the instructions of a foreign intelligence agency,” possibly the U.S. C.I.A., and was caught making a dead drop. Haidukou, a mechanic at the Naftan Oil refinery, has been charged with “state treachery in the form of intelligence activities”–high treason–under Article 356, Part 1 of the Criminal Code, which carries a sentence of 7 to 15 years in prison.
However, Haidukou, supported by fellow activists, has written that the charges are “huge falsifications” and an attempt by the KGB to pressure him because of his civil activities. In addition to having been detained before for his part in silent protests, and receiving threats from plainclothes policemen, in the days before his arrest, Haidukou was preparing documents to officially register the non-governmental organization (NGO) “Union of Young Intellectuals”.
Haidukou is the deputy Chairperson of the Union of Young Intellectuals, and according to the Chairperson Jauhien Kanstancinau, “Andrei dealt with all issues concerning the registration. If he hadn’t been arrested, in two weeks we could pass documents for registration.” Kanstancinau describes the Young Intellectuals, which was established three years ago, as “an international organization” and “[a] social and cultural organi[z]ation. Our primary task is to be a platform for creation of a party of intellectuals.” It is possible Haidukou’a arrest is intended to intimidate other youth activists.
Since his arrest, Haidukou has inexplicably been transferred between prisons in Vitsebsk and Minsk several times. His family reported that they were restricted from obtaining information on his location.
Hanna Shaputska, coordinator of the civil initiative “For Liberty” has also denounced the charges against Haidukou. “[T]hree months have passed since the arrest and everything what is happening started [sic] looking like a farce, another wave of reprisals against civil activists and oppositionists.” She added “Andrei Haidukou can be considered as a political prisoner.”
Another member of the Youth Intellectuals, Illia Bahdanau, and also a member of the unregistered opposition party Belarusian Christian Democracy (BCD), was detained by the KGB together with Haidukou. However, Bahdanau was released soon after questioning at night and managed to return home via hitchhiking. He remains a suspect.
Until the 11th of February, Haidukou’s counsel had been prevented from meeting with him since December. Although the KGB had authorized meetings, every time Haidukou’s attorney attempted to meet with his client in the last two months, he was turned away from the prison, with excuse such as “there are no free rooms.” However, according to Haidukou’s mother, the February 11th meeting lasted several hours, from 10 a.m. through the evening.
“Human Rights Activists against Torture” expressed concern that the denial of a lawyer to a client in jail could be a sign of the use of torture and sent an urgent appeal to the UN Special Rapporteur.
It should be noted that Belarus’s Constitution guarantees the right of unimpeded confidential meetings with a lawyer, with no restrictions on the frequency or duration of such.
In response to the long denial of an attorney, the Belarusian Helsinki Committee and The Human Rights Center “Viasna” called for greater transparency in Haidukou’s case and others, expressing concern that there may be violations in procedure affecting the defendants’ rights, his or her health condition and other similar information, and that the public should be provided with greater information.
The KGB has extended the investigation into Haidukou’s case for an additional month.
Haidukou’s mother, Volha Haidukova, remains uncomprehending at what has happened to her son. “We knew that he was opposition-minded and his activities were disliked by the authorities … Andrei was also telling us he didn’t do anything illegal. As it can be seen from his letters, he was totally bewildered with such development of the events,” she said. Volha further lamented “I wasn’t allowed to meet with him and haven’t received any telephone. The only thing left to me is to write letters.”
For further information, please see:
Chapter’97 – Human rights activists demand publicity over Haidukou’s case – 20 February 2013
Viasna – Counsel Finally Allowed to Meet with Andrei Haidukou at the KGB Prison – 12 February 2013
Viasna – Counsel Not Allowed to Meet Andrei Haidukou Again – 11 February 2013
Viasna – Andrei Haidukou’s Mother: We Cannot Understand What is Really Done to Our Son – 8 February 2013
Viasna – “Spy” Haidukou’s Friend Interrogated at KGB Again – 11 January 2013
Chapter’97 –UN Special Rapporteur Informed About Torture of Haidukou – 5 January 2013
European Association of Independent Journalists – KGB Reveals Foreign Spy — Mechanic, Activist of Dubious Union of Young Intellectuals – 14 November 2012
