Misplaced Pages

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43-724: It is the successor to the KGB of the Byelorussian SSR , a branch of the Soviet KGB which operated in the Byelorussian republic . Felix Dzerzhinsky , who founded the first Soviet secret police , the Cheka , was born in present-day Belarus and remains an important figure in the state ideology of Belarus under president Alexander Lukashenko as well as a patron of the Belarusian KGB. It is governed by

86-520: A Belarusian news portal, Lukashenko himself stated that the "last presidential elections were rigged; I already told this to the Westerners. [...] 93.5% voted for the President Lukashenko [sic]. They said it's not a European number. We made it 86. This really happened. And if [one is to] start recounting the votes, I don't know what to do with them. Before the elections they told us that if we showed

129-575: A continent of open and democratic societies" and said the election had violated democratic norms. "The European council has decided to take restrictive measures against those responsible for the violations of international electoral standards, including President Lukashenko," the Austrian foreign minister, Ursula Plassnik , said after the EU summit. She gave no details, but EU officials said measures being considered included visa bans on those accused of allegedly rigging

172-671: A spine injury. The journalists were injured during the Saturday unrest in the Belarusian capital. Members of opposition called it a lie. After the results were announced, a mass rally assembled in October Square in Minsk , waving the banned white-red-white flag of independent Belarus, the flag of Europe , as well as flags of other countries such as Ukraine , Poland , Russia , Georgia , and even Armenia . The crowd of demonstrators rallying after

215-495: A third term in a landslide, amid opposition claims of vote-rigging and fear of violence. The Gallup Organization has noted that the Belarusian Committee of Youth Organization is government-controlled and released their exit poll results before noon on election day, although voting stations closed at 20:00. Lukashenko was sworn in for his third term on 8 April 2006. Belarusian authorities initially vowed to crush unrest in

258-563: The 2020-21 protests . On 21 June 2021, the U.S. Treasury has added the KGB of Belarus and its Chairman Ivan Tertel to its Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons List with the following motivation: The State Security Committee of the Republic of Belarus (Belarusian KGB) has continually pressured and targeted the opposition in the aftermath of the fraudulent 2020 election. The Belarusian KGB has detained, intimidated, and otherwise pressured

301-656: The KGB of the Soviet Union . Several dozens former Chairmen and senior officers of the KGB of Belarus have been included in the sanctions lists of the European Union and the United States , especially following the brutal crackdown of peaceful protests that followed the allegedly falsified presidential elections of 2006 and 2010 . Against most of them, the sanctions have been lifted in 2016 following an improvement of Belarus–European Union relations . On 2 October 2020,

344-494: The presidential election failed to meet OSCE commitments for democratic elections. The OSCE, of which Belarus is a member, stated that Lukashenko permitted State authority to be used in a manner which did not allow citizens to freely and fairly express their will at the ballot box , and a pattern of intimidation and the suppression of independent voices was evident. On 21 March, the United States stated that it believed that

387-513: The Belarusian opposition near the building of the Ministry of International Affairs, but were quickly dispersed by authorities. Reflecting a widespread belief among journalists, Russian commentator Piotr Parhomenko wrote in lenta.ru that Lukashenko's decision to allow the opposition demonstration was a move calculated to divide the opposition, as Kozulin wanted to stop the protests while Milinkevich called for them to go on indefinitely. According to

430-786: The Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic The Committee for State Security of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic ( KGB of the BSSR ; Belarusian : Камітэт дзяржаўнай бяспекі Беларускай ССР ; Russian : Комитет государственной безопасности Белорусской ССР ) was the main state security organization in the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic . It was a branch of the Committee for State Security of USSR. In

473-569: The EU of being responsible for political repressions in their regions: A cooperation deal between the State Security Service of Georgia and the KGB was signed in 2016 and came into force in 2021. At the time it came into force, their relationship was criticized over the KGB's role in suppressing the 2020–2021 Belarusian protests . On 1 December 2021, US-based Meta announced that 41 fake accounts on Facebook and 4 on Instagram belonging to Belarusian KGB were removed. The accounts criticised

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516-556: The EU summit. According to the Czech News Agency , Jan Rybar, reporter of the Czech daily Mlada fronta Dnes , was attacked and beaten up at the opposition demonstration in Minsk. He said in his opinion he had been beaten up by agents of the Belarusian secret police KGB, but has no direct piece of evidence to prove it. On 23 March, American diplomats evacuated Vyacheslav Sivchik, one of

559-643: The European Union added former chairman of the KGB Valery Vakulchik , as well as the Deputy Charimen, to its sanctions list. On 6 November, Chairman Ivan Tertel was sanctioned by the EU as well. These people are also subject to the restrictive measures by the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and Canada. The KGB Alpha Group was placed under US Treasury Department sanctions for their role in suppressing

602-474: The State Security Committee ( Russian : Здание КГБ , Belarusian : Будынак КДБ ) is located on Independence Avenue at the corner from Komsomolskaya Street. The building was built between 1945 and 1947 by architects Mikhail Parusnikov and Gennady Badanov. The building was erected in the style of Stalinist Architecture and Neoclassicism . The left wing stretches across Independence Avenue to adjoin

645-829: The USSR. Chairmen of Cheka of BSSR Chairmen of GPU under the Government of BSSR People's Commissars of Internal Affairs of BSSR Ministers of State Security of BSSR Chairmen of the KGB under the Council of Ministers of BSSR This article related to politics in Belarus is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . 2006 Belarusian presidential election Alexander Lukashenko Independent Alexander Lukashenko Independent [REDACTED] CIS Member State Parliamentary elections Presidential elections were held in Belarus on 19 March 2006. The result

688-625: The USSR. In September 1991, the KGB of the BSSR was renamed to the KGB of the Republic of Belarus, becoming the new national security body of the state. In October of that year, the Supreme Soviet mandated by law that the State Security Committee is subordinate to the Supreme Council of Belarus . In order to ensure the security of the new republic, the government provided regulations to the agency in January 1992. Major General Vadim Zaitsev , who

731-516: The actions of Poland during Belarus–European Union border crisis in English, Polish and Kurdish, while pretending to be journalists and activists. On 10 April 2022, Meta reported that Internet accounts linked to KGB on the first day of the Russian invasion of Ukraine tried to spread fake news about the surrender of Ukrainian army and flight of Ukrainian authorities. Committee for State Security of

774-455: The anniversary of the creation of first independent Belarusian Republic in 1918. Despite this, on Friday night riot police were dispatched to the site of the protest and 377 (460, according to other sources) participants and journalists were arrested, effectively dismantling the demonstration. Most of the arrested people were sentenced to between 5 and 15 days in prison. There were Russian, Polish, Ukrainian, Canadian, and Georgian citizens among

817-426: The arrested. The protests were documented in the movie " Kalinovski Square " by filmmaker Jury Chaščavacki . On Saturday, tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets, as the police had closed off October Square. Opposition leader Alyaksandr Kazulin was arrested. One of the demonstrators was killed when the riot police dispersed the crowd. The official OSCE report released on March 20, 2006, concluded that

860-633: The build-up to the elections, several Georgians who were part of the OSCE observer team were intercepted by the Belarusian Frontier Guard and placed in custody. Lukashenko also announced that protests similar to those of the Orange , Rose and Tulip revolutions would not take place in Belarus and stated that "force will not be used" to claim the presidency. On 19 March, exit polls showed Lukashenko winning

903-643: The central government in Moscow began reforms for the Soviet Interior Ministry , during which the Committee for State Security (KGB), was a subordinate agency under Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union . On 19 May 1954, the Soviet government in Belarus made the decision to form a republican affiliate of the KGB, led by Alexander Perepelitsyn. In December 1978, the KGB of the BSSR became an independent institution of

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946-489: The early 20th century, the Russian Cheka led by Felix Dzherzhinsky began operating on Belarusian land. On 1 March 1922, under the auspices, Central Executive Committee of the BSSR, a State Political Directorate is formed.  The People's Commissariat for Internal Affairs (NKVD) , the KGB's predecessor agency, was in the mid-1950s involve in mant Stalinist purges around the country, especially on Belarus. In March 1954,

989-413: The election - estimated at 5,000 to 10,000 - was the biggest the opposition had mustered in years. The next day a tent camp was erected on October Square in downtown Minsk. The number of participants in the opposition rally varied from 300 in the morning to 5,000 in the evening. The main opposition leaders had called for the protests to keep up until Saturday, when a major rally is expected, coinciding with

1032-407: The election fair, and Russian president Vladimir Putin called Lukashenko to congratulate him on his victory. On 24 March Sergey Lavrov accused OSCE of instigating tensions during the parliamentary election campaign in Belarus, claiming that "long before the elections, the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights had declared that they (the elections) would be illegitimate and it

1075-448: The election was rigged. In the words of White House spokesman Scott McClellan, "The United States does not accept the results of the election. We support the call for a new election." Czech President Václav Klaus decided not to congratulate Lukashenko on re-election as president as "the course of the presidential elections on Sunday confirmed his fears for democracy in Belarus". Klaus previously criticized "very disputable circumstances of

1118-464: The elections and to make sure the elections were free from any irregularities. On 2 March 2006, opposition candidate Alyaksandr Kazulin attempted to enter the third meeting of the All Belarusian People's Assembly , which was hosted by President Lukashenko. Security officers arrested and assaulted Kazulin, who was charged with disorderly conduct, and then held in custody for eight hours. In

1161-686: The event of large-scale protests following the election. Later on, however, more subtle methods of attrition were used to subdue protesters. Lukashenko declared victory and defeat of "The Jeans Revolution ", promising not to jail Milinkevich and Kozulin. On 23 March, the Constitutional Court of Belarus rejected the opposition's appeals. Lukashenko was inaugurated five days later. On 24 March, Belarusian police broke up days of protests in central Minsk against President Lukashenko's re-election, detaining about 460 demonstrators in an early hours sweep. The demonstrators had rejected police calls to leave

1204-530: The law About State Security Bodies of the Republic of Belarus . The KGB has command over the Alpha Group as the main counter-terrorist unit, and they can be tasked to help the Militsiya and other law enforcement organizations in anti-crime operations. On 1 March 1922, under the auspices Central Executive Committee of the BSSR, a State Political Directorate is formed. In July 1934, an NKVD republican affiliate

1247-522: The national agency, having responsibility for all assets in Belarus. In September 1991, the Supreme Soviet of Belarus renamed the KGB of the BSSR to the KGB of the Republic of Belarus , which became the new national security body of the state. A month earlier, the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic signed, effectively declaring Belarus an independent state from

1290-528: The neighboring House of the Minsk Mutual Agricultural Insurance Association. Each region has regional divisions: According to human rights organisations in the United States , and the European Union , the KGB and its senior leadership play a key role in human rights violations and political repressions in Belarus. The KGB has maintained both the name, the symbols and some of the repressive functions of its Soviet predecessor,

1333-405: The opposition, to include Pratasevich . In November 2020, the Belarusian KGB added Pratasevich and another opposition journalist to its list of terrorists. In 2022, the KGB and Tertel were included in the sanctions lists of the European Union, the United States, Switzerland and Japan, while Ukraine blacklisted only Tertel. In 2011, commanders of the KGB in the regions of Belarus were accused by

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1376-403: The organizers of the opposition meeting, from Oktyabrskaya Square. On 24 March, EU leaders agreed at a summit to impose sanctions on Belarus leaders, including a possible travel ban on Lukashenko, after his victory in a disputed presidential election on Sunday. Officials said Lukashenko had won more than 80% of the vote. A statement from the 25 leaders called the country "a sad exception ... on

1419-493: The parliamentary elections and the changes in the constitution that allowed Lukashenko to run for the post again after two election terms" in his open letter to Lukashenko last year. Czech Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda proposed inviting opposition leader Alyaksander Milinkevich to the EU summit. As his proposal did not succeed he initiated invitation of Milinkevich to the European People's Party meeting that will take place prior

1462-530: The poll and possible asset freezes, but not economic sanctions against the former Soviet republic. Lukashenko was banned from entering the 25 nations of the EU - including Belarus' neighbours, Poland, Latvia and Lithuania - and from the US. The EU Council has passed a list of Belarusian officials targeted by sanctions . Russia considered the election results acceptable; the Russian Foreign Ministry declared

1505-461: The protesters was killed in the fight. Four explosions were reported, apparently percussion grenades set off by police. Many protesters were detained, including one of the opposition leaders, Alexander Kozulin, Russian news agencies reported. The main opposition leader, Alexander Milinkevich, denied reports by Russian news agencies that he himself was detained. On 29 March, it was reported by Gaseta.ru that opposition leader Kozulin had been arrested and

1548-432: The provision of assistance to political parties and NGOs. The CIS observer mission commented that "the negative statements made in the EU and the United States are attempts to create predetermined negative sentiments in the international community toward elections results in Belarus. Such actions towards a sovereign state hardly comply with standards of international law." The OSCE also sent monitors to Belarus to observe

1591-403: The square, the focus of the protests. They had erected tents and kept protesting around the clock despite sub-zero temperatures at night. One of the detained protesters called Reuters by mobile phone and said they were being taken to a pre-trial detention centre in the capital. On 25 March, riot police clashed with protesters, forcing demonstrators back and hitting several with truncheons. One of

1634-602: The vote as open and transparent. On 17 February 2006, the Central Election Commission approved the following list of candidates: Both the European Parliament and United States Congress issued warnings that more sanctions and similar punitive actions would be imposed if there were human rights violations during the elections. The United States already had placed sanctions on Belarus due to past election issues. The Belarus Democracy Act of 2004 allowed

1677-504: Was a victory for incumbent, President Alexander Lukashenko , who received 84.4% of the vote. However, Western observers deemed the elections rigged. The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) declared that the election "failed to meet OSCE commitments for democratic elections". In contrast, election observers from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) described

1720-438: Was facing up to 6 years in jail for organizing riots and hooliganism. Milinkevich faced 15 days for hooliganism. According to Moscow News, two journalists of the Belarus state television were allegedly beaten by opposition forces during an unsanctioned rally in Minsk and were hospitalized with severe injuries. Reporter of First Belarusian State Channel, Mikhail Kristin, suffered a concussion, and cameraman Dmitry Chumak suffered

1763-575: Was formed in the BSSR. 10 years later, during a reform of the Soviet Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Committee for State Security of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic ( KGB of the BSSR) was formed, which would become an independent agency in 1978. On 25 August 1991, the Supreme Soviet of Belarus passed the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic into constitutional law, effectively declaring independence from

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1806-526: Was in charge of Lukashenko's personal security, was appointed its leader in July 2008. His tenure lasted until November 2012 and he was replaced by Valery Vakulchik . The KGB is formally controlled by the President of Belarus , Alexander Lukashenko . Human rights organizations, the United States , and the European Union have accused the KGB of secret police activities and human rights abuses . The headquarters of

1849-555: Was pretty biased in its commentaries on their progress and results, thus playing an instigating role." It was one of many Russian criticisms of the trans-Atlantic group's vote monitoring activities. Pro-government press and organizations lauded the outcome as a defeat of "orange" political technologies, whereas the liberal opposition traditionally condemned Lukashenko's actions. On March 26, about ten people from liberal movements and parties, joined by occasional passers-by, attempted to carry out an unsanctioned demonstration in support of

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