Who's Who in Belarus

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• This section of the A Belarus Miscellany Web site lists those people who are currently involved in making Belarus what it is today -- whether that's positive or not.

• Note 1: In addition to the President of Belarus, links to Other Officials of the Government of Belarus are included here.

• Note 2: Also refer to the link to the following Who's Who in Belarus Web page Human Rights Institute: Russia - Belarus.   (1999; mostly Russian but some Belarusian & English)

• Stanislau Bagdankievich

  Leader of the United Civic Party (UCP), member of the 13th Supreme Soviet, financier, politician, and president of the National Bank of Belarus (1991-95). (His name is also spelled "Stanislau Bahdankevich" and "Stanislav Bogdankevich", the latter when translated from Russian).

• Yury Bandazhevsky

  Former rector of the Homel (Gomel) State Medical Institute, accused on July 13, 1999, of taking bribes (along with 17 colleagues). Dr. Bandazhevsky had conducted research into the effects of radiation doses on children's health and drew an important conclusion that a cesium-137 dose above 50 Bq per kilogram of a child's weight causes serious pathologies. Mr. Bandazhevsky's research showed a direct effect of radiation doses on children's health. The case against Dr. Bandazhevsky is believed by some to have a political background, as Dr. Bandazhevsky used to criticize the government for neglecting Chornobyl (Chernobyl) problems. Dr. Bandazhevsky was dismissed as rector on July 30, 1999 by the Belarusian Health Minister, Igor Zelenkevich.

• Dmitry Bondarenko

  • Coordinator of the Khartiya-97 (Charter '97) human rights group.

• Ales Byalatski

  • Chairman of the Viasna Human Rights Center.   (See brief biography, including photograph, on the Viasna Web site.)

• Mikhail Chyhir (Chigir)

  Ex-Prime Minister Mikhail Chyhir (Chigir). Until recently, jailed by the Lukashenka regime (and whose sentence is under appeal). Prior to becoming Prime Minister in 1994 under Lukashenka, Chyhir was head of BelAgroPromBank -- Belarus’ specialized food economy bank.
  • Also see news article, "EU Deplores Prosecution of Belarus Opposition Politicians" (June 29, 2000).

• Andrey Klimau (Andrei Klimov)

  • A member of the 13th Supreme Soviet, and a member of the opposition. Mr. Klimov faces charges of embezzlement and business irregularities, while his supporters say that his prosecution is politically motivated.

• Vladimir Kudinov

  Jailed by Lukashenka regime since 1997. Businessman & member of 13th Supreme Soviet

• Anatoly Lebedko

  • Leader of the United Civil Party

• Vasily Leonov

  Ex-Minister of Agriculture, accused and imprisoned (and released) for large-scale embezzlement and bribetaking.

• Zhanna Litvina

  Chairperson of the Belarusian Association of Journalists.

• Web Sites about the Authoritarian Ruler of Belarus: Aleksandr G. Lukashenka

  Note: Mr. Lukashenka was elected in 1994 as Belarus' first democratically elected president. In 1995 and 1996 he committed acts which destroyed all democratic aspects of the constitution and extended his powers as absolute ruler (some commentators have referred to these actions as a "bloodless coup"). Although he continues to maintain total control over Belarus, his term of office as a democratically elected president ended in July, 1999.   (Mr. Lukashenka was born on August 30, 1954.)
  • Official President of Belarus Web site

  • Additional information about office holders in the government of Belarus at this A Belarus Miscellany Web site.

  • Aleksandr Grigorovich Lukashenko -- this UN Web site includes brief biographical data about the current President of Belarus
    The brief biographical data information gives some insight into this politician. Part of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of Belarus to the United Nations Web site.

    Note: This UN Web page was last revised in August, 1996, prior to the Referendum of November, 1996. Also be warned that this UN Web page is one long document; be patient while it loads.

  • Essay: Lukashenka: Following in Saddam Hussein's Footsteps?

• Mikhail Pastukhov

  • Professor of Law at an independent university in Belarus. He is also the director of the Media Protection Center at the Belarusian Association of Journalists. From 1992 to 1994, Prof. Pastukhov participated in a working group on the creation of the 1994 Belarus Constitution, the concept of court reform in Belarus, and the bill on the Constitutional Court. In 1998, Prof. Pastukhov was awarded the joint U.S. Government and European Union's Democracy and Civil Society Award in recognition of his achievements in promoting democratic values and a civil society.

  • See information about him on the ILHR Web site (International League for Human Rights)

• Zyanon Pazniak -- at the Kurapaty information site

  The information at this site is not completely up to date nor very detailed but does give a brief biographical sketch of Sp. Pazniak up through mid-1996.

  In 1996, Sp. Pazniak received political asylum in the U.S. (something quite rare in this post-USSR era, and very descriptive of the current "situation" in Belarus).

  For those not familiar with Sp. Pazniak, he was the archeologist who researched the Kurapaty massacre site, and this work led to the establishment of the Belarus Popular Front (BPF), and his candidacy for president of Belarus in 1995.

  See also his comments about Belarus Government Shake Up (November, 2000).

  The leader of the other main faction of the BPF is Vintsuk Vyachorka.

• Harry Pahanayla (Garri Pogonyailo)

  Defense Lawyer, often involved with human rights cases, and Deputy Chairman of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHC)

• Semyon (Syamyon) Sharetsky

  Speaker of the 13th Supreme Soviet, and considered by many countries and international organizations to be the current democratically elected leader of the Republic of Belarus [July, 1999 -- 2000].

• Valery Shchukin

  Journalist & member of 13th Supreme Soviet

• Ivan Shpakovsky

  Bobruisk-Based Lawyer

• Stanislav Shushkevich

  Speaker of the 13th Supreme Soviet (legal Belarusian parliament, though not recognized by the current regime).

  See Belarusian Academy of Sciences page about him.

• Vyachelav Sivchik

  Deputy chairman of the Belarus Popular Front (BPF) Party.

• Vasily Starovoitov

  Former Chairman of the Rassvet agricultural joint-stock company and WWII Veteran. While on Kebich's presidential campaign team in 1994, called for voting against Mr. Lukashenka, and was later charged and tried with corruption in 1998-99.

• Nikolai Statkevich

  • Leader of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (BSDP)

  • Also see news article, "EU Deplores Prosecution of Belarus Opposition Politicians" (June 29, 2000).

• Vera Stremkovskaya

  • Belarusian lawyer who has received human rights awards from international organizations for her work. Also president of Mensk's Human Rights Center.

  • See information about her on the ILHR Web site (International League for Human Rights)

• Oleg Volchek

  • Leader of the Association for Legal Assistance to the Population.

• Vintsuk Vyachorka

  Chairman of one of the two main factions of the Belarus Popular Front (BPF), and who opposes Zyanon Pazniak (as of summer, 1999).

• Pavel Zhuk

  Editor of the newspaper Nasha Svaboda.