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All foreign diplomats in Minsk will observe August 16 opposition march, organizer says

All foreign diplomats in Minsk will observe the march that opposition forces plan to stage in the Belarusian capital city on August 16, Viktor Ivashkevich, an organizer, said at Saturday’s meeting of members of the Council of the Belarusian Popular Front, as quoted by BelaPAN.

According to Mr. Ivashkevich, an agreement to this effect has already been reached with the diplomatic missions. In addition, the event will be covered by Russia and European media, he noted.

The purpose of the march is to demand an international investigation into the disappearances of four opponents of Alyaksandr Lukashenka. Former Interior Minister Yury Zakharanka, former MP Viktar Hanchar, businessman Anatol Krasowski and journalist Dzmitry Zavadski went missing in 1999-2000. They are widely believed to have been abducted and murdered by a government-run death squad.

Since the march is going to attract great international attention, authorities may refrain from breaking it up, Mr. Ivashkevich said. An application for permission to stage the march was filed with the Minsk City Executive Committee on July 16.

The march is to start at 6 p.m. and run from the square in from of the National Academy of Sciences to Liberty Square in downtown Minsk, where a rally would be held.