Everyone has the right to peaceful assembly and association.

Article 20, Universal Declaration of Human Rights

BELARUS: Ihar Tsikhanyuk

Early last February, Ihar Tsikhanyuk was in hospital receiving treatment for a stomach ulcer. Two police officers in plain clothes came into the ward and took him away to a district police station. There, officers punched him again and again. They also made fun of him for being gay, and threatened him with more violence. Ihar Tsikhanyuk (pronounced Eehar Tsi-han-yuk) is a 26-year-old openly gay man and gay rights activist who lives in Hrodna. He promotes the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people in Belarus. Ihar Tsikhanyuks seizure from the hospital and his beating occurred a few weeks after he tried to formally register the existence of the Human Rights Centre Lambda. The Centre supports the rights of LGBTI people. He had also attended a meeting of the human rights project Gay Belarus in Minsk in December 2012. The director of the hospital ward phoned the police station and demanded Ihar Tsikhanyuks return. A police officer drove him back but no one documented the injuries from his beating. He made a formal complaint about his treatment by police but in mid-March, the Prosecutors office informed him that there was not enough evidence to start an investigation. Ihar Tsikhanyuk needs your support to make sure the police officers who ill-treated him are brought to justice. The attention you give will also help to protect him and other LGBTI activists from further harassment.

I dont want to hide myself. I live openly. It is not easy in Belarus, but I want to show people that I am a person like everybody. With my example I want to show that it is possible to live openly. - Ihar Tsikhanyuk Ihar Tsikhanyuk

Activate your pens and your keyboards! Please write a letter to the General Prosecutor of Belarus. Start with Dear General Prosecutor. Describe who you are and what concerns you about the February 2013 attack on Ihar Tsikhanyuk. Press General Prosecutor Koniuk to investigate the ill-treatment of, and threats against, Ihar Tsikhanyuk by police officers at the October District police station in Hrodna. Insist that those responsible are brought to justice. Send your letter to: Alyaksandr Koniuk Generalnaya Prokuratura ul. Internatsionalnaya 22 220030 Minsk, Belarus Postage: $1.85 Fax: 011 375 17 226 4252 (If someone answers, say Fax.) Email: info@prokuratura.gov.by Please make a copy for: Mr Roman Sobolev Charg dAffaires, Embassy for Belarus 130 Albert Street, Suite 600 Ottawa, Ontario K1P 5G4 Postage:$.63 Fax: (613) 233-8500 E-mail: romasobolev@rambler.ru

What else can I do? Send a letter or card to Ihar Tsikhanyuk. Tell him that you are writing from Canada and that you have heard about what happened to him. Add a message of support something like I admire your struggle in such difficult circumstances and wish you success in it! In Belarusian: ! Apart from religious cards, any card is fine. You may put your return address on your envelope but please leave it off the card. You may mention Amnesty International. Send your greeting to: Ihar Tsikhanyuk c/o Amnesty International 3-1992 Yonge Street Toronto ON M4S 1Z7

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