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Belarus opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova 'snatched from street' in Minsk

479 points by RealityVoid 6y ago

kjaftaedi 6y ago
>Three other members of the opposition coordination council have also vanished, in what appears to be a targeted attempt by the authorities to wipe out the protest movement. .. >Kolesnikova’s press aide, Rodnenkov, confirmed her abduction but vanished himself around 40 minutes later .. >Her coordination council colleagues who have disappeared include Anton Rodnenkov, Ivan Kravtsov and Maxim Bogretsov. Her press team is also missing.
- cm2012 6y ago
  Terrifying
- diimdeep 6y ago
  Nothing new. But we hope for the best. Twenty years ago, some leading Belarusian opposition politicians disappeared without a trace. In an exclusive interview with DW, a key witness tells how he assisted a special unit in committing abduction and murder. [0] And headlines from 20 years ago [2][3] [0] https://www.dw.com/en/belarus-how-death-squads-targeted-opposition-politicians/a-51685204 https://www.dw.com/en/belarus-how-death-squads-targeted-oppo... [1] https://www.dw.com/en/alleged-killer-of-belarus-politician-meets-victims-daughter/a-52421562 https://www.dw.com/en/alleged-killer-of-belarus-politician-m... [2] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/jul/20/ameliagentleman https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/jul/20/ameliagentlema... [3] https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/04/world/belarus-sees-its-dissidents-disappearing.html https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/04/world/belarus-sees-its-di... Or this: Classified By: AMBASSADOR GEORGE KROL FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D) 1. (C) Summary: During the first two weeks of May, GOB authorities announced that investigations into the 1999-2000 disappearances of two opposition activists and the 2004 murder of a journalist were suspended. Independent investigator Garry Pogonayilo believes the lack of progress is due to the authorities' own participation in the crimes. Therefore, as long as the Lukashenko regime is in power, the cases will never be "solved." Pogonayilo and international lawyers are building a case against the GOB leadership and hope to get international warrants of arrest for GOB officials suspected in these crimes. End Summary. [4] https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/06MINSK559_a.html https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/06MINSK559_a.html
deleted 6y ago
[deleted]
vvpan 6y ago
I cannot believe they do not feel like they digging their own grave. The "standing" government that is and the security forces. I mean how do they expect to find any job that's not cleaning bathrooms in Russia after this.
- leftyted 6y ago
  I'm sure people said the exact same thing about the Syrian military and police that stayed loyal to Assad. 9 years later...
  - daliusd 6y ago
    IMHO it is not fair to compare Syria with Belarus as Syria is multi-religion country with Syrian dictator representing ruling minority (Alawites), Belarus meanwhile is monolithic country in whatever way you will look at it (religious, ethnic and etc.).
    - HenryBemis 6y ago
      A part of not assassinating Assad is that he was fighting the extremists (aka ISIS), so to that aspect there was a common ground between Syrian gov, Russia, USA & allies. Yes he is a bad dude (replace with profanity). Democracy is a rumor over there, a fantasy.
      - skitout 6y ago
        ISIS was not a significant player at the beginning of the events in Syria. And Assad helped ISIS by freeing men [1], then not really targeting it during the first part of the war. ISIS (and other extremist) were fighting against other Assad's enemies, and it help portraying all opposition as dangerous extremists edit : [1] https://www.newsweek.com/how-syrias-assad-helped-forge-isis-255631 https://www.newsweek.com/how-syrias-assad-helped-forge-isis-...
        Synaesthesia 6y ago
dehrmann 6y ago
Can't say I'm surprised. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya ran for president after her husband was arrested for running for president, and she's in exile for good reason. This seems to be standing operating procedure for Lukashenko...or any dictator, really.
- krn 6y ago
  > and she's in exile for good reason And the reason is, that Belarus secret services abducted her on the day of the election, and brought her to the border with Lithuania the next morning. The foreign minister of Lithuania later confirmed, that her arrival to Lithuania was coordinated with Belarus, not with her. She wouldn't say anything about what happened. It was the smartest move for Lukashenka: he could neither arrest her, nor let her stay in Belarus, if he wanted to try to avoid the protests. The best option was to make it look like she just ran away, leaving everyone who voted for her to fight for themselves. I wouldn't be surprised, if the same happens with other Belarus opposition leaders during the next 72 hours.
  - manicdee 6y ago
    Let's hope it's involuntary relocation and not murder.
pstuart 6y ago
Fortunately it could never happen here in the US.
- truthwhisperer 6y ago
  Nope because the cites are already burned down by those lefties
- jason0597 6y ago
  Hah!
techCEO4356 6y ago
Sorry, don't care.
tyingq 6y ago
"Then I noticed a dark minivan with the slogan “Svyaz” on the side parked up not far from the museum" Is Svyaz some business or government agency?
- john_minsk 6y ago
  It means “Comms” i think it can belong to different agencies but most likely military ones
- SergeAx 6y ago
  No, it means "Telecom", suggests technical service vehicle.
- brabel 6y ago
  It's like a Telecom company. Just a cover, of course.
fsiefken 6y ago
Reported deaths, human rights issues and crimes against humanity as defined by the International Criminal Court Statute which Belarus did not sign or ratify. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Belarusian_protests#Deaths https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Belarusian_protests#Death...
- literallycancer 6y ago
  29-year-old Konstantin Shishmakov (Belarussian: Kanstantsin Shyshmakou), director of the Bagration Military History Museum in Vawkavysk, disappeared on 15 August. As a member of the election commission, he refused to sign the protocols, called his wife at about 5 pm and said: "I will not work here anymore, I am going home." But he never came home. Later he was found dead in a river. This was announced by the search and rescue squad "Angel". Disgusting. I hope someone saves the archives and lists of members of security forces, so they can get what they deserve.
  - trhway 6y ago
    no hope. What you'd want to punish them for, in some specific places are considered as the skills in high demand. At the end they will run, say for example, to Russia, like this one for example from the Ukraine security forces: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-berkut-commander-gets-second-crack-at-protesters--in-moscow/30107804.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-berkut-commander-gets-second... " the former Berkut riot-police commander in connection with the lethal suppression of the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests. Yet in Moscow, Kusyuk is now a colonel in the Russian Interior Ministry's OMON force and was seen on August 3 overseeing the arrests of demonstrators calling for fair municipal elections in the capital."
  - sam_lowry_ 6y ago
    Telegram channels like https://t.me/terroristybelarusi https://t.me/terroristybelarusi collect personal information of state officials involved in atrocities. Makes for interesting reading, especially when you see photos of pretty-looking girls that tortured dozens of men and beat women out of consciousness. Check this one [1], the first 4 photos are of the most famous torturer. [1] https://www.google.com/search?q=%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0+%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%83%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F+%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA&tbm=isch https://www.google.com/search?q=%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%...
shmerl 6y ago
This paranoid fascist potato führer will never let go of power voluntarily. He is insane and obsessed with power.
- liability 6y ago
  Potato?
  - betaby 6y ago
    https://memepedia.ru/agrofyurer-i-kartofel-v-mundire-luchshie-memy-pro-lukashenko/ https://memepedia.ru/agrofyurer-i-kartofel-v-mundire-luchshi... use google translate
  - daoman122 6y ago
    Yes, it's hard to explain, but he maintains an image of a very industrious and agriculture-oriented leader, and on many promotional videos and photos was seen as participating in harvesting potatoes - https://www.google.com/search?q=lukashenko+potatoes&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiJ0Jno0NfrAhUGhp4KHcSAAiMQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=lukashenko+potatoes&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyAggAOgUIABCxAzoICAAQsQMQgwE6BAgAEEM6BwgAELEDEEM6BggAEAgQHlDwL1idUmC8U2gAcAB4AIABOYgB7QWSAQIxOZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=MnZWX4nvB4aM-gTEgYqYAg&bih=946&biw=1870 https://www.google.com/search?q=lukashenko+potatoes&tbm=isch...
yalogin 6y ago
Wow, that is quite brazen. He wouldn't do that unless he is very confident about the fallout from it. Putin is obviously strongly behind him and he also feels that no one else, primarily the US, will do anything about it. Germany and Europe in general might say something but not sure if that will have the same weight as the US.
- mhh__ 6y ago
  https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/03/belarus-election-fraud-trump-lukashenko-putin/ https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/03/belarus-election-fraud-... It seems to fit a pattern for this administration. By all accounts I've read this is the way Trump views politics, so his silence is not out of character.
  - augustt 6y ago
    If he does speak up it will probably be to brag that he had the idea first to snatch protesters up in unmarked vans.
  - pnw_hazor 6y ago
    Better than drawing red-lines that won't be enforced like previous administrations often do.
    - mhh__ 6y ago
      I would rather try a diplomatic solution than openly extend a hand of friendship to a dictator (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump%27s_disclosures_of_classified_information https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump%27s_disclosures_o...) or even turn a blind eye. He seems to think he is the one who can "solve" Russia, but he is being played like a fiddle. I'm getting a little sick in the mouth of the "I'm alright jack" political commentary often seen on hackernews, are you saying it's better to do nothing or should Obama have invaded the Middle East again?
      - pnw_hazor 6y ago
arkanciscan 6y ago
This sort of thing seems to be happening more and more. More often to protestors who don't have as much protection and attention. What, if any, technologies exist to safe guard against this sort of thing? Are there tracking devices, or apps that people in high profiles currently use to protect themselves? Do political opponents of dictators wear body cams at all times?
- jl6 6y ago
  By the time you need to rely on technology for personal safety, it’s probably already too late. What would a body cam show, even if it were live streaming to foreign server? The masked face of a thug sent by the government to pick you up and smash your gear? I fear such malign force can only be overcome by opposing force - either a foreign intervention or an overwhelming popular revolution that is willing to put its people severely in harms way.
- sam_lowry_ 6y ago
  Here is the video filmed by a hidden camera on the jacket of someone being arrested [1] and transported to a prison. So what? There is no rule of law in Belarus, only the rule of force. Who would this guy show his footage? Police? But police forces arrested and beat him. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5oALVCAFTE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5oALVCAFTE
- andrey_utkin 6y ago
  > More often to protestors who don't have as much protection and attention. What, if any, technologies exist to safe guard against this sort of thing? Weapon.
hamiltont 6y ago
I'm currently helping with translations for https://www.voiceofbelarus.com/ https://www.voiceofbelarus.com/ The things being done to these people in detention are horrible. We just translated an article about a 16-year-old boy beaten into a coma. When he awoke he said he was one of the lucky ones. ( https://www.voiceofbelarus.com/how-to-save-timur/ https://www.voiceofbelarus.com/how-to-save-timur/ ) From consistently talking to multiple opposition members, here is my take on the current mindset: Every single protester on the street is aware that the police are waiting for them to do anything that gives an excuse. Foreigners don't always understand the dictatorships use a two-pronged approach, one part being heavy-handed violence and the other being heavy-handed propaganda. Like it or not, there's always a percentage of the population that buys into the propaganda, either by being stupid or by being centrist. The protesters are very intentionally being careful to not give any excuse. That's why you see 70-year-old grandmothers walking in the streets wearing pure white, they want the evidence to be obvious when the police shove down and beat grandmother's bloody. They also want it to be impossible for the state to spin them as violent criminals In short, these people are brave as f* Many do suspect this will end in all out violence, but everyone knows that would give Russia an internationally acceptable excuse to join the party. The current thinking is Lukashenko may make a mistake (it is widely reported internally that he is on heavy medication and typically takes an entire month away from office following the election period, which has been impossible with the constant mass protests). His family has begun to leave the country, excluding his young son who he takes with him everywhere. The people are being careful to say, at least for the time being, they do not want him dead, they only do not want him in the country. They're trying to give him every opportunity to flee and leave them to repair their own country If you want to help, the biggest thing you can do is continue to give them international recognition. Share it on social platforms. After the first wave of violence, the international outcry caused Lukashenko to order the police to temporarily stop the beatings. The protests have continues to grow, and the violence has started again (as we all know, dictators have a really small playbook of possible control tactics). International outrage is more effective than you might realize. EDIT: For those unaware, IT has grown significantly in Belarus. It's debated why this is the case (e.g. perhaps the dictatorship just does not know how to extract value from a company where seizing assets just leaves you with an empty shell of a previously valuable company), but regardless multiple Belarusians are entering the world stage with a reputation for being competent/capable/innovative with technology. It's been a interesting emergence of a new skilled class. Right now, Lukashenko is squishing that with his actions. Shutting of the internet is one example. Another example is retaliation, such as what is being done to PandaDoc (a Silicon Valley-based company). Their founders are Belarusian. After a statement by the founders, the state retaliated by raiding their Minsk offices and arresting employees. For more info, see https://savepandadoc.org/en/ https://savepandadoc.org/en/
leptoniscool 6y ago
On this side of the Atlantic, we have yet to discover how the cameras were turned off in Epstein's jail.
- shankhs 6y ago
  Not everything has to be linked with the US politics. US has strong democratic institutions. Regardless of your opinion on Trump, he is not a dictator like Lukashenko.
  - sam_lowry_ 6y ago
    Not yet.
- georgeecollins 6y ago
  That is not even close to the same thing. Or relevant, except as a distraction.
  - duiker101 6y ago
    Weren't there news of people getting snatched by unmarked vans in the US too just a few weeks ago?
    - lostlogin 6y ago
      Yes. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/27/i-was-kidnapped-by-police-for-nine-hours-for-being-a-black-lives-matter-protester https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/27/i-was-kidnappe...
- nomadrat 6y ago
  From european side of the world it's obvious that lizard people did their best with cameras..
TheMagicHorsey 6y ago
I feel such shame that our President still cuddles up to Putin and takes such a soft stance against dictators.
samat 6y ago
Why is this on hacker news? Is not this website supposed to be about technology and all things related? Or is related = anything goes?
- procinct 6y ago
  It’s really just anything hackers would find interesting. Generally it spans tech and startups but also occasionally branches out to other sciences, art, politics and other subjects.
- freeqaz 6y ago
  For many people, myself included, this is a primary source for my news. Having the biggest bits of what is happening in the world is helpful. If people find it interesting enough to vote this up... I'm okay with that.
- snarf21 6y ago
  Are things all that different today in the US? Who knows what November will bring. It also helps underscore technology's role in disseminating information and helping people stand against oppression. Look at all the turmoil around disinformation from Facebook et. al. from the previous election. Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
- jaybrendansmith 6y ago
  I help to run a software company, and many if not most of my developers are in Belarus. They are just like you, but cannot leave because they have families there. They would like a Democracy as much as anybody in the West.
lwansbrough 6y ago
A stark reminder that democracy is neither inevitable nor guaranteed. A truth which desperately needs thoughtful consideration by US voters heading into November.
- jakelazaroff 6y ago
  What worries me more (in the US) is the number of voters on the right who either don't care or actively support the increasingly blatant fascism of the current regime. Even if Trump loses in November, those people won't just go away. We're going to be fighting fascism at home for a very long time.
Ciantic 6y ago
Interesting to find this in HN. Of course I hope for the best outcome, but I don't think it's achievable. The way I see it there is no real opposition leaders, because they are in jail. This women triumvirate, whom were not leaders themselves was probably surprised themselves amount of support they got. There seemingly is no plan by the opposition, other than hope that the regime turns on the Lukashenko. When that happens and there is no organized opposition, the regime just grows a new head. Which I guess would be a some sort of success. Democracy (and the values it embodies like freedom of speech and assembly) is an agreement among the elite. If there is no agreement among the elite then democratic values has little chance surviving.
- sam_lowry_ 6y ago
  Lukashenka and his clique have been consistently eliminating all public figures for 26 years straight. The fact the public is able to organize without real leaders is a true success and the only viable way for them to succeed. Yesterday, bandits from local militia arrested all the members of the water rescue crew that helped protesters out of the water where they jumped to escape. The same day the head of the criminal police was photographed shattering the windows of a café where some of the protesters receded. Yesterday again, a second heavily beaten dead body was found in the woods in what looks like a militia victim. Merciless criminals took over all police and security forces and they act with total impunity. How can there be "real opposition leaders" in in a scenario where they are beaten, imprisoned or exiled soon after becoming public figures?
  - Ciantic 6y ago
    I was not meant to be demeaning, I have been following the situation very closely and know about each of the events you listed. I want them to succeed! I do think that it's a success they can even demonstrate, the regime is so brutal. However when I look at further ahead, it feels bleak to me. 1990s criminals and their entourage have became the heads of state, how can you unseat them with leaderless opposition?
    - sam_lowry_ 6y ago
paulintrognon 6y ago
True question: why is it on the second page of HN despite score? Is it because political? It's some kind of "flagged but not quite" system?
- kjaftaedi 6y ago
  I'm also very curious as to the mechanism that is holding this post back. 414 points in 2 hours, yet pushed to the bottom of the second page for me at the moment.
  - sam_lowry_ 6y ago
    @dang playing god, I guess.
- tim333 6y ago
  They definitely have a system to mark down politics. It's top of the algolia 24hr ranking which I often use instead these days https://hn.algolia.com/?q=&query=&sort=byPopularity&prefix&page=0&dateRange=last24h&type=story https://hn.algolia.com/?q=&query=&sort=byPopularity&prefix&p...
amai 6y ago
" According to Ernst & Young survey, more than 30% of the Fortune Global 200 companies have worked with HTP residents. The most trending customers are Facebook, Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, PepsiCo, Whirlpool, 3M, Amazon.com, Cisco Systems, HP, Oracle, Xerox, Disney, Intel, Apple and IBM, which have worked with several companies from Belarus." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarus_High_Technologies_Park https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarus_High_Technologies_Park
homakov 6y ago
What happens in Belarus is absolutely disgusting. Something you would expect from a mexican narco cartel not a european country. What’s even more disgusting is lack of any tangible help from the US/EU. No sanctions for Lukashenko they said.

479 points by RealityVoid 6y ago

>Three other members of the opposition coordination council have also vanished, in what appears to be a targeted attempt by the authorities to wipe out the protest movement. .. >Kolesnikova’s press aide, Rodnenkov, confirmed her abduction but vanished himself around 40 minutes later .. >Her coordination council colleagues who have disappeared include Anton Rodnenkov, Ivan Kravtsov and Maxim Bogretsov. Her press team is also missing.

cm2012 6y ago
Terrifying
diimdeep 6y ago
Nothing new. But we hope for the best. Twenty years ago, some leading Belarusian opposition politicians disappeared without a trace. In an exclusive interview with DW, a key witness tells how he assisted a special unit in committing abduction and murder. [0] And headlines from 20 years ago [2][3] [0] https://www.dw.com/en/belarus-how-death-squads-targeted-opposition-politicians/a-51685204 https://www.dw.com/en/belarus-how-death-squads-targeted-oppo... [1] https://www.dw.com/en/alleged-killer-of-belarus-politician-meets-victims-daughter/a-52421562 https://www.dw.com/en/alleged-killer-of-belarus-politician-m... [2] https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/jul/20/ameliagentleman https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/jul/20/ameliagentlema... [3] https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/04/world/belarus-sees-its-dissidents-disappearing.html https://www.nytimes.com/1999/10/04/world/belarus-sees-its-di... Or this: Classified By: AMBASSADOR GEORGE KROL FOR REASONS 1.4 (B,D) 1. (C) Summary: During the first two weeks of May, GOB authorities announced that investigations into the 1999-2000 disappearances of two opposition activists and the 2004 murder of a journalist were suspended. Independent investigator Garry Pogonayilo believes the lack of progress is due to the authorities' own participation in the crimes. Therefore, as long as the Lukashenko regime is in power, the cases will never be "solved." Pogonayilo and international lawyers are building a case against the GOB leadership and hope to get international warrants of arrest for GOB officials suspected in these crimes. End Summary. [4] https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/06MINSK559_a.html https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/06MINSK559_a.html

deleted 6y ago

[deleted]

vvpan 6y ago

I cannot believe they do not feel like they digging their own grave. The "standing" government that is and the security forces. I mean how do they expect to find any job that's not cleaning bathrooms in Russia after this.

leftyted 6y ago
I'm sure people said the exact same thing about the Syrian military and police that stayed loyal to Assad. 9 years later...
- daliusd 6y ago
  IMHO it is not fair to compare Syria with Belarus as Syria is multi-religion country with Syrian dictator representing ruling minority (Alawites), Belarus meanwhile is monolithic country in whatever way you will look at it (religious, ethnic and etc.).
  - HenryBemis 6y ago
    A part of not assassinating Assad is that he was fighting the extremists (aka ISIS), so to that aspect there was a common ground between Syrian gov, Russia, USA & allies. Yes he is a bad dude (replace with profanity). Democracy is a rumor over there, a fantasy.
    - skitout 6y ago
      ISIS was not a significant player at the beginning of the events in Syria. And Assad helped ISIS by freeing men [1], then not really targeting it during the first part of the war. ISIS (and other extremist) were fighting against other Assad's enemies, and it help portraying all opposition as dangerous extremists edit : [1] https://www.newsweek.com/how-syrias-assad-helped-forge-isis-255631 https://www.newsweek.com/how-syrias-assad-helped-forge-isis-...
      - Synaesthesia 6y ago

dehrmann 6y ago

Can't say I'm surprised. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya ran for president after her husband was arrested for running for president, and she's in exile for good reason. This seems to be standing operating procedure for Lukashenko...or any dictator, really.

krn 6y ago
> and she's in exile for good reason And the reason is, that Belarus secret services abducted her on the day of the election, and brought her to the border with Lithuania the next morning. The foreign minister of Lithuania later confirmed, that her arrival to Lithuania was coordinated with Belarus, not with her. She wouldn't say anything about what happened. It was the smartest move for Lukashenka: he could neither arrest her, nor let her stay in Belarus, if he wanted to try to avoid the protests. The best option was to make it look like she just ran away, leaving everyone who voted for her to fight for themselves. I wouldn't be surprised, if the same happens with other Belarus opposition leaders during the next 72 hours.
- manicdee 6y ago
  Let's hope it's involuntary relocation and not murder.

pstuart 6y ago

Fortunately it could never happen here in the US.

truthwhisperer 6y ago
Nope because the cites are already burned down by those lefties
jason0597 6y ago
Hah!

techCEO4356 6y ago

Sorry, don't care.

tyingq 6y ago

"Then I noticed a dark minivan with the slogan “Svyaz” on the side parked up not far from the museum" Is Svyaz some business or government agency?

john_minsk 6y ago
It means “Comms” i think it can belong to different agencies but most likely military ones
SergeAx 6y ago
No, it means "Telecom", suggests technical service vehicle.
brabel 6y ago
It's like a Telecom company. Just a cover, of course.

fsiefken 6y ago

Reported deaths, human rights issues and crimes against humanity as defined by the International Criminal Court Statute which Belarus did not sign or ratify. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Belarusian_protests#Deaths https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Belarusian_protests#Death...

literallycancer 6y ago
29-year-old Konstantin Shishmakov (Belarussian: Kanstantsin Shyshmakou), director of the Bagration Military History Museum in Vawkavysk, disappeared on 15 August. As a member of the election commission, he refused to sign the protocols, called his wife at about 5 pm and said: "I will not work here anymore, I am going home." But he never came home. Later he was found dead in a river. This was announced by the search and rescue squad "Angel". Disgusting. I hope someone saves the archives and lists of members of security forces, so they can get what they deserve.
- trhway 6y ago
  no hope. What you'd want to punish them for, in some specific places are considered as the skills in high demand. At the end they will run, say for example, to Russia, like this one for example from the Ukraine security forces: https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-berkut-commander-gets-second-crack-at-protesters--in-moscow/30107804.html https://www.rferl.org/a/ukraine-berkut-commander-gets-second... " the former Berkut riot-police commander in connection with the lethal suppression of the 2013-14 Euromaidan protests. Yet in Moscow, Kusyuk is now a colonel in the Russian Interior Ministry's OMON force and was seen on August 3 overseeing the arrests of demonstrators calling for fair municipal elections in the capital."
- sam_lowry_ 6y ago
  Telegram channels like https://t.me/terroristybelarusi https://t.me/terroristybelarusi collect personal information of state officials involved in atrocities. Makes for interesting reading, especially when you see photos of pretty-looking girls that tortured dozens of men and beat women out of consciousness. Check this one [1], the first 4 photos are of the most famous torturer. [1] https://www.google.com/search?q=%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%BD%D0%B0+%D0%B2%D0%B0%D0%BB%D1%83%D0%B9%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%8F+%D0%BC%D0%B8%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA&tbm=isch https://www.google.com/search?q=%D0%BA%D0%B0%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%...

shmerl 6y ago

This paranoid fascist potato führer will never let go of power voluntarily. He is insane and obsessed with power.

liability 6y ago
Potato?
- betaby 6y ago
  https://memepedia.ru/agrofyurer-i-kartofel-v-mundire-luchshie-memy-pro-lukashenko/ https://memepedia.ru/agrofyurer-i-kartofel-v-mundire-luchshi... use google translate
- daoman122 6y ago
  Yes, it's hard to explain, but he maintains an image of a very industrious and agriculture-oriented leader, and on many promotional videos and photos was seen as participating in harvesting potatoes - https://www.google.com/search?q=lukashenko+potatoes&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwiJ0Jno0NfrAhUGhp4KHcSAAiMQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=lukashenko+potatoes&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyAggAOgUIABCxAzoICAAQsQMQgwE6BAgAEEM6BwgAELEDEEM6BggAEAgQHlDwL1idUmC8U2gAcAB4AIABOYgB7QWSAQIxOZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=MnZWX4nvB4aM-gTEgYqYAg&bih=946&biw=1870 https://www.google.com/search?q=lukashenko+potatoes&tbm=isch...

yalogin 6y ago

Wow, that is quite brazen. He wouldn't do that unless he is very confident about the fallout from it. Putin is obviously strongly behind him and he also feels that no one else, primarily the US, will do anything about it. Germany and Europe in general might say something but not sure if that will have the same weight as the US.

mhh__ 6y ago
https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/03/belarus-election-fraud-trump-lukashenko-putin/ https://foreignpolicy.com/2020/09/03/belarus-election-fraud-... It seems to fit a pattern for this administration. By all accounts I've read this is the way Trump views politics, so his silence is not out of character.
- augustt 6y ago
  If he does speak up it will probably be to brag that he had the idea first to snatch protesters up in unmarked vans.
- pnw_hazor 6y ago
  Better than drawing red-lines that won't be enforced like previous administrations often do.
  - mhh__ 6y ago
    I would rather try a diplomatic solution than openly extend a hand of friendship to a dictator (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump%27s_disclosures_of_classified_information https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Trump%27s_disclosures_o...) or even turn a blind eye. He seems to think he is the one who can "solve" Russia, but he is being played like a fiddle. I'm getting a little sick in the mouth of the "I'm alright jack" political commentary often seen on hackernews, are you saying it's better to do nothing or should Obama have invaded the Middle East again?
    - pnw_hazor 6y ago

arkanciscan 6y ago

This sort of thing seems to be happening more and more. More often to protestors who don't have as much protection and attention. What, if any, technologies exist to safe guard against this sort of thing? Are there tracking devices, or apps that people in high profiles currently use to protect themselves? Do political opponents of dictators wear body cams at all times?

jl6 6y ago
By the time you need to rely on technology for personal safety, it’s probably already too late. What would a body cam show, even if it were live streaming to foreign server? The masked face of a thug sent by the government to pick you up and smash your gear? I fear such malign force can only be overcome by opposing force - either a foreign intervention or an overwhelming popular revolution that is willing to put its people severely in harms way.
sam_lowry_ 6y ago
Here is the video filmed by a hidden camera on the jacket of someone being arrested [1] and transported to a prison. So what? There is no rule of law in Belarus, only the rule of force. Who would this guy show his footage? Police? But police forces arrested and beat him. [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5oALVCAFTE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5oALVCAFTE
andrey_utkin 6y ago
> More often to protestors who don't have as much protection and attention. What, if any, technologies exist to safe guard against this sort of thing? Weapon.

hamiltont 6y ago

I'm currently helping with translations for https://www.voiceofbelarus.com/ https://www.voiceofbelarus.com/ The things being done to these people in detention are horrible. We just translated an article about a 16-year-old boy beaten into a coma. When he awoke he said he was one of the lucky ones. ( https://www.voiceofbelarus.com/how-to-save-timur/ https://www.voiceofbelarus.com/how-to-save-timur/ ) From consistently talking to multiple opposition members, here is my take on the current mindset: Every single protester on the street is aware that the police are waiting for them to do anything that gives an excuse. Foreigners don't always understand the dictatorships use a two-pronged approach, one part being heavy-handed violence and the other being heavy-handed propaganda. Like it or not, there's always a percentage of the population that buys into the propaganda, either by being stupid or by being centrist. The protesters are very intentionally being careful to not give any excuse. That's why you see 70-year-old grandmothers walking in the streets wearing pure white, they want the evidence to be obvious when the police shove down and beat grandmother's bloody. They also want it to be impossible for the state to spin them as violent criminals In short, these people are brave as f* Many do suspect this will end in all out violence, but everyone knows that would give Russia an internationally acceptable excuse to join the party. The current thinking is Lukashenko may make a mistake (it is widely reported internally that he is on heavy medication and typically takes an entire month away from office following the election period, which has been impossible with the constant mass protests). His family has begun to leave the country, excluding his young son who he takes with him everywhere. The people are being careful to say, at least for the time being, they do not want him dead, they only do not want him in the country. They're trying to give him every opportunity to flee and leave them to repair their own country If you want to help, the biggest thing you can do is continue to give them international recognition. Share it on social platforms. After the first wave of violence, the international outcry caused Lukashenko to order the police to temporarily stop the beatings. The protests have continues to grow, and the violence has started again (as we all know, dictators have a really small playbook of possible control tactics). International outrage is more effective than you might realize. EDIT: For those unaware, IT has grown significantly in Belarus. It's debated why this is the case (e.g. perhaps the dictatorship just does not know how to extract value from a company where seizing assets just leaves you with an empty shell of a previously valuable company), but regardless multiple Belarusians are entering the world stage with a reputation for being competent/capable/innovative with technology. It's been a interesting emergence of a new skilled class. Right now, Lukashenko is squishing that with his actions. Shutting of the internet is one example. Another example is retaliation, such as what is being done to PandaDoc (a Silicon Valley-based company). Their founders are Belarusian. After a statement by the founders, the state retaliated by raiding their Minsk offices and arresting employees. For more info, see https://savepandadoc.org/en/ https://savepandadoc.org/en/

leptoniscool 6y ago

On this side of the Atlantic, we have yet to discover how the cameras were turned off in Epstein's jail.

shankhs 6y ago
Not everything has to be linked with the US politics. US has strong democratic institutions. Regardless of your opinion on Trump, he is not a dictator like Lukashenko.
- sam_lowry_ 6y ago
  Not yet.
georgeecollins 6y ago
That is not even close to the same thing. Or relevant, except as a distraction.
- duiker101 6y ago
  Weren't there news of people getting snatched by unmarked vans in the US too just a few weeks ago?
  - lostlogin 6y ago
    Yes. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/27/i-was-kidnapped-by-police-for-nine-hours-for-being-a-black-lives-matter-protester https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/27/i-was-kidnappe...
nomadrat 6y ago
From european side of the world it's obvious that lizard people did their best with cameras..

TheMagicHorsey 6y ago

I feel such shame that our President still cuddles up to Putin and takes such a soft stance against dictators.

samat 6y ago

Why is this on hacker news? Is not this website supposed to be about technology and all things related? Or is related = anything goes?

procinct 6y ago
It’s really just anything hackers would find interesting. Generally it spans tech and startups but also occasionally branches out to other sciences, art, politics and other subjects.
freeqaz 6y ago
For many people, myself included, this is a primary source for my news. Having the biggest bits of what is happening in the world is helpful. If people find it interesting enough to vote this up... I'm okay with that.
snarf21 6y ago
Are things all that different today in the US? Who knows what November will bring. It also helps underscore technology's role in disseminating information and helping people stand against oppression. Look at all the turmoil around disinformation from Facebook et. al. from the previous election. Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
jaybrendansmith 6y ago
I help to run a software company, and many if not most of my developers are in Belarus. They are just like you, but cannot leave because they have families there. They would like a Democracy as much as anybody in the West.

lwansbrough 6y ago

A stark reminder that democracy is neither inevitable nor guaranteed. A truth which desperately needs thoughtful consideration by US voters heading into November.

jakelazaroff 6y ago
What worries me more (in the US) is the number of voters on the right who either don't care or actively support the increasingly blatant fascism of the current regime. Even if Trump loses in November, those people won't just go away. We're going to be fighting fascism at home for a very long time.

Ciantic 6y ago

Interesting to find this in HN. Of course I hope for the best outcome, but I don't think it's achievable. The way I see it there is no real opposition leaders, because they are in jail. This women triumvirate, whom were not leaders themselves was probably surprised themselves amount of support they got. There seemingly is no plan by the opposition, other than hope that the regime turns on the Lukashenko. When that happens and there is no organized opposition, the regime just grows a new head. Which I guess would be a some sort of success. Democracy (and the values it embodies like freedom of speech and assembly) is an agreement among the elite. If there is no agreement among the elite then democratic values has little chance surviving.

sam_lowry_ 6y ago
Lukashenka and his clique have been consistently eliminating all public figures for 26 years straight. The fact the public is able to organize without real leaders is a true success and the only viable way for them to succeed. Yesterday, bandits from local militia arrested all the members of the water rescue crew that helped protesters out of the water where they jumped to escape. The same day the head of the criminal police was photographed shattering the windows of a café where some of the protesters receded. Yesterday again, a second heavily beaten dead body was found in the woods in what looks like a militia victim. Merciless criminals took over all police and security forces and they act with total impunity. How can there be "real opposition leaders" in in a scenario where they are beaten, imprisoned or exiled soon after becoming public figures?
- Ciantic 6y ago
  I was not meant to be demeaning, I have been following the situation very closely and know about each of the events you listed. I want them to succeed! I do think that it's a success they can even demonstrate, the regime is so brutal. However when I look at further ahead, it feels bleak to me. 1990s criminals and their entourage have became the heads of state, how can you unseat them with leaderless opposition?
  - sam_lowry_ 6y ago

paulintrognon 6y ago

True question: why is it on the second page of HN despite score? Is it because political? It's some kind of "flagged but not quite" system?

kjaftaedi 6y ago
I'm also very curious as to the mechanism that is holding this post back. 414 points in 2 hours, yet pushed to the bottom of the second page for me at the moment.
- sam_lowry_ 6y ago
  @dang playing god, I guess.
tim333 6y ago
They definitely have a system to mark down politics. It's top of the algolia 24hr ranking which I often use instead these days https://hn.algolia.com/?q=&query=&sort=byPopularity&prefix&page=0&dateRange=last24h&type=story https://hn.algolia.com/?q=&query=&sort=byPopularity&prefix&p...

amai 6y ago

" According to Ernst & Young survey, more than 30% of the Fortune Global 200 companies have worked with HTP residents. The most trending customers are Facebook, Microsoft, Northrop Grumman, PepsiCo, Whirlpool, 3M, Amazon.com, Cisco Systems, HP, Oracle, Xerox, Disney, Intel, Apple and IBM, which have worked with several companies from Belarus." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarus_High_Technologies_Park https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belarus_High_Technologies_Park

homakov 6y ago

What happens in Belarus is absolutely disgusting. Something you would expect from a mexican narco cartel not a european country. What’s even more disgusting is lack of any tangible help from the US/EU. No sanctions for Lukashenko they said.