Mikhail Marynich
Encyclopedia
Mikhail Marynich — an opposition leader in Belarus
. He was a former minister of foreign economic affairs, and former ambassador of Belarus to Latvia
.
He became an opposition politician when he ran against the president Lukashenko
for the presidency in the 2001 election, when he openly accused Lukashenko of implementing authoritarian policies in the country.
After the election Marynich was accused and sent imprisoned on dubious charges of stealing computers from an NGO
, of which he is himself a director. The computers belong to the US Embassy, and US Department issued a statement that they don't have any claims against Mr Marynich. He was given a five year sentence, although the sentence was later cut to 3.5 years. Amnesty International
declared that he is considered a prisoner of conscience
.
In March 2005, still in Orsha
prison, he suffered a cerebral stroke. A few days later, he married 33-year-old Tatiana Baranava, a long time colleague of his. He divorced his first wife after a marriage that had lasted 35 years. They have two sons.
Michail Marynich was released from jail on April 14, 2006, shortly after Alexander Lukashenko
started his controversial third term in office.
Marynich is the inspirational leader for Zubr
, a youth resistance movement.
In 2010, the UN Human Rights Committee
found that in Marynich's case, Belarus violated articles 7, 9, 10, paragraph 1, and 14, paragraphs 1 and 2, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
. He was a former minister of foreign economic affairs, and former ambassador of Belarus to Latvia
Latvia
Latvia , officially the Republic of Latvia , is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by Estonia , to the south by Lithuania , to the east by the Russian Federation , to the southeast by Belarus and shares maritime borders to the west with Sweden...
.
He became an opposition politician when he ran against the president Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...
for the presidency in the 2001 election, when he openly accused Lukashenko of implementing authoritarian policies in the country.
After the election Marynich was accused and sent imprisoned on dubious charges of stealing computers from an NGO
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
, of which he is himself a director. The computers belong to the US Embassy, and US Department issued a statement that they don't have any claims against Mr Marynich. He was given a five year sentence, although the sentence was later cut to 3.5 years. Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
declared that he is considered a prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience
Prisoner of conscience is a term defined in Peter Benenson's 1961 article "The Forgotten Prisoners" often used by the human rights group Amnesty International. It can refer to anyone imprisoned because of their race, religion, or political views...
.
In March 2005, still in Orsha
Orsha
Orsha is a city in Belarus in Vitebsk voblast on the fork of the Dnieper and Arshytsa rivers.-Facts:*Location: *Population: 125,000 *Phone code: +375 216*Postal codes: 211030, 211381–211394, 211396–211398-History:...
prison, he suffered a cerebral stroke. A few days later, he married 33-year-old Tatiana Baranava, a long time colleague of his. He divorced his first wife after a marriage that had lasted 35 years. They have two sons.
Michail Marynich was released from jail on April 14, 2006, shortly after Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Lukashenko
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...
started his controversial third term in office.
Marynich is the inspirational leader for Zubr
Zubr (political organization)
Zubr was a civic youth organization in Belarus backed by the United States and western powers in opposition to President Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The organization drew inspiration from Otpor student movement which contributed to the overthrow of Slobodan Milošević in 2000, and from Gene Sharp's...
, a youth resistance movement.
In 2010, the UN Human Rights Committee
Human Rights Committee
The United Nations Human Rights Committee is a United Nations body of 18 experts that meets three times a year for four-week sessions to consider the five-yearly reports submitted by 162 UN member states on their compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,...
found that in Marynich's case, Belarus violated articles 7, 9, 10, paragraph 1, and 14, paragraphs 1 and 2, of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
External links
- European Movement Organisation Campaigning for Mikhail Marynich
- BBC News article
- Human Rights Committee views in case Marinich (sic) v. Belarus