Belarusian participants of the orange revolution ask the Ukrainian president for political asylum

Two participants of the events in Kyiv in the end of November — the beginning of January 2004 asked the president of the Ukraine Viktor Yushchenko for political asylum. In their appeals they stated that Belarusian authorities persecute and threaten them. Besides, a criminal case has been already brought against one of the applicants. (15-FEB-2005)

In his appeal the president of the Ukraine the former candidate to Belarusian Parliament, citizen of Zhodzina and activist of United Civil Party Aliaksandr Vawchanin states that Belarusian and authorities create danger for his health and life. On 25 January Vawchanin passed his appeal for Yushchenko to the Embassy of the Ukraine in Belarus. 

There he wrote: Dear Mr. President, I ask You to give me political asylum in Your country in connection with the death threats of the authorities and secret services…
     
— They want to make short work of me as a candidate to the Parliament. An official of secret services warned me about it. He and his subordinates refused to do it. I think one should believe if information comes from such serious sources,” – said Vawchanin to RFE/RL.

The activist of “Maladaya Hramada”, former student of Belarusian Academy of Arts Zmitser Chartkow passed his appeal for Viktor Yushchenko to the Embassy of the Ukraine in Belarus. In his interview to RFE/RL he thusly explained his deed:
     
— I was made to take my documents away from Belarusian Academy of Arts. During the last electoral campaign some workers of secret services warned me about the possibility of physical liquidation and told us to be very careful. Then I was pressurized to take my documents away from Belarusian Academy of Arts. For me the main thing is to secure my family and friends from danger. That’s why I decided to make even more political step and file the request for political asylum in the Ukraine. 
     
Recently Mr. Chartkow took his documents from Belarusian Academy of Arts, where he was a first-year student at the department of film-production. He says that the administration of this educational establishment insisted on it and that the reasons were his detention during the after-referendum opposition action of 19 October 2004 and participation in orange revolution in the Ukraine.

On 3 February Zhodzina prosecutor Viktar Litvinenka came to Aliaksandr Vawchanin´s work. He demanded from Vawchanin to sign the publication of the application to Yushchenko in Narodnaya Volia newspaper and the documents where it was stated that the criminal case for libel was brought against him. 
     
Journalist didn’t manage to find the prosecutor of Zhodzina Town Prosecutor’s Office Ihar Litvinenka at the office and his substitute Ihar Damaronak neither disproved nor confirmed this information.