Ten years have passed since the day of disappearance of politician Viktor Gonchar and businessman Anatoly Krasovsky. Ten years of uncertainty and despair. Ten years on heartbreaking grief.

On the 16th of September 1999 Viktor Gonchar and Anatoly Krasovsky had an appointment in a sauna house on Fabrichnaya street in Minsk. Due to witnesses of people living in the neighbouring apartment blocks, the two men were attacked by a group of unidentified people and taken away in an auto. Their fate remains unknown till now. There are evidences, though, that high-ranked officials including the head of the state, are suspected to be involved in the abduction and possible murder of Viktor Gonchar and Anatoly Krasovsky as well as of two other prominent Belarusians, ex-Minister of the Internal Affairs Yury Zakharenko and journalist Dmitry Zavadsky.  

Today on the October Square of Minsk an action will take place commemorated to the tenth anniversary of involuntary disappearance of Anatoly Krasovsky and Viktor Gonchar. The action starts at 18:00.

On the 16th of September in Eindhoven (The Netherlands) an action is going to take place commemorated to the 10th anniversary of the involuntary disappearances of Viktor Gonchar and Anatoly Krasovsky. In the program of the event — memory of the disappeared Belarusians commemoration, demonstration of a documentary, discussion and presentation of an art-project. «We Remember» foundation is among organizers of the event.

On September the 16th, Belarusian «Free Theater» performs the U.S. premiere of «Discover Love» based on the true story of Irina Krasovskaya, whose husband Anatoly, was kidnapped and murdered. Irina, who is now based in Washington, D.C., co-founded «We Remember», a civil initiative that disseminates information about politically motivated disappearances of Belarusian citizens and informs the world community about the situation. A memorial reception organized by Irina Krasovskya follows the September the 16th premiere.

1999 was a year of bitter confrontation between the Lukashenko regime and opponents of the imposed by him on the 1996 referendum new version of the Constitution that fixed among other things a new date for presidential elections. Political forces that did not recognize the modified by Lukashenko Constitution and his claims to remain in office until 2001 had an unwavering purpose in the course of the struggle against the regime to hold the elections in 1999 as was predetermined by the first Constitution of independent Belarus.

A considerable number of Lukashenko's opponents closed the ranks around the Supreme Soviet of the 13th Convocation. Before the 1996 referendum that dissolved this supreme legislative body of the country, the Supreme Soviet did not represent specific political views. It embodied the Law and was a serious obstacle for Lukashenko to gain unlimited power. Thus, the Supreme Soviet of the 13th Convocation denied Lukashenko’s demand to extend his term in office to seven years and modify the Constitution to extend power of the executive branch. The 1996 referendum initiated by Lukashenko in order to crush the resistance of the legislature was held with violations incompatible with fundamental legal regulations. Since then Lukashenko perceived the figure of Mr. Gonchar, deputy chairman of the Supreme Soviet, as his direct political rival.

The danger for Lukashenko posed by the activities of the opposition that in 1999 fixed the purpose of alternative presidential elections had nothing to do with stripping him of the prolonged term in office. The opposition had an effective instrument to destroy the Lukashenko regime as a house of cards. To hold presidential elections ignoring the imposed version of the Constitution meant to catch the regime on the spot of its first grave crime, to publicly prove the illegitimate nature of its rule. Lukashenko was aware of this danger precisely because the 1996 referendum was designed by him as a means of absolute usurpation of power in the country and a guarantee of perpetuation in office. Therefore the solidity of the danger for Lukashenko posed by the political forces united with the Supreme Soviet of the 13th Convocation cannot be overestimated.

Viktor Gonchar, deputy chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the 13th Convocation, Lukashenko’s irreconcilable opponent, a generally recognized opposition leader, and his friend, prominent entrepreneur Anatoly Krasovsky who financed the opposition movement, drew close attention of special services responsible for the regime's security. Viktor Gonchar and Anatoly Krasovsky were put under surveillance, their telephones bugged.

The tragedy was set to happen on September 16, 1999. In the afternoon of that day Anatoly Krasovsky and Viktor Gonchar were abducted. The law enforcement agencies started investigating the case; however all known to date evidence has been collected by volunteers. That includes windscreen fragments of Mr. Krasovsky's car used by the friends that day found on Fabrichnaya Street in Minsk, traces of blood identified as Mr. Gonchar’s by an independent expert examination. These and other evidence clarify the details of the abduction and are recognized by general public as a proof of direct involvement of security services. The official investigation, despite the fact of permanent surveillance over Viktor Gonchar and Anatoly Krasovsky conducted by the KGB, announced that the case could not be solved. After Mr. Gonchar and Mr. Krasovsky disappeared the KGB issued a statement claiming that surveillance was suspended precisely on September 16.
In June 2001 the testimonies of KGB investigators Petrushkevich and Sluchek became known to the world community. They told some details of the system of physical removal of the unwanted in Belarus that has taken shape since Lukashenko came to power.

CIWR.ORG