Mikita Sasim - Belarus

This series of incidents of harassment against Mikita Sasim was in connection with his nonviolent exercise of his rights to freedom of expression, association and assembly. He is a member of 'Zubr', a non-registered pro-democracy and human rights movement, whose members are regularly subjected to harassment, ill-treatment and arbitrary detention due to their visible peaceful protest actions against the regime of President Lukashenka.

Mikita Sasim was elected secretary of the Belarusian Republican Union of Young People in September 2003, but, as he felt increasing pressure from the Belarusian government on the organisation's activities, he proposed that all its members join Zubr instead. Following the acceptance of this proposal on 2 March 2004, the college administration invited Mikita Sasim to at least 10 'educational talks'. On 30 June 2004 the college refused to allow him to take his exams and excluded him for lack of attendance.

Zubr update 5 May

Zubr published a statement on their website stating that they are no longer active under that name and are working to unit with other pro-democracy groups.

Update 23 May 2006

Prominent youth opposition activist Mikita Sasim, who has suffered continual harassment and intimidation by the authorities, was sentenced to three months' imprisonment on 12 May for draft evasion, despite the fact that he had been granted a deferral of his military service. Amnesty International considers Mikita Sasim a prisoner of conscience, who has been detained solely for the non-violent exercise of his right to freedom of expression, association and assembly.

He had been arrested on 14 March, five days before the presidential elections. As he was already well-known as a vocal opponent of the government, it seems likely that his arrest was timed to ensure that he was not around during the election period. He was reportedly picked up on the street in the capital, Minsk, and taken to a police station.

There he became ill with appendicitis. He was taken to hospital by ambulance, and his appendix was removed that night. He was reportedly handcuffed to his bed and guarded by a police officer during his stay in hospital. After a week, he was moved to the pre-trial detention facility in Baranavichy where he is still held. By the time he was sentenced, on 12 May, by a judge at Baranavichy court, he had already been in custody for two months, and should therefore be released on 14 June.

All Belarusian men aged 18-27 are obliged to do 18 months' military service. Mikita Sasim had expressed his willingness to do his military service but was granted a deferral due to injuries he had reportedly received at the hands of the police at a demonstration in October 2005. At the court hearing, the prosecution insisted that Mikita Sasim had evaded military service by failing to turn up for medical examinations on three occasions, once in October 2005 and twice in January 2006. Mikita Sasim claimed that he missed only one of the three appointments, in October, after he had received the deferral.