Alexander Otroschenkov
{{Short description|Belarusian pro-democracy activist and journalist}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2023}}
File:Alexander Otroschenkov.png
Alexander Otroschenkov (Аляксандр Атрошчанкаў, Александр Отрощенков, also transliterated as Alyaksandr Atroshchankau or Aleksandr Atroshchenko) is a Belarusian political activist and journalist. In 2011 he was sentenced to four years in prison after he covered a protest rally as a journalist. He was listed by Amnesty International as a prisoner of conscience.
History of activism
He was a member of the Zubr movement of youth. In 2001 he was arrested after the police took a Zubr badge off his jacket at a soccer game. In the same year he was arrested and charged with Article 156 of the Belarusian penal code, "petty hooliganism", after the police confiscated Zubr flags from his friends and arrested 15 people.
He was the press secretary for the Zubr movement. He was one of many people charged with "slandering the president" (Article 367, par. 1 of the penal code) around the time of the 2001 Belarusian presidential election.His specific charge came in January 2002. The Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations said he felt his treatment was related to the invitation he had received from Amnesty International to travel to Germany. In mid-2002 he was jailed for 5 days for participating in the protests of 19 April in the same year.
He has worked as a journalist for Charter 97 for 10 years. He also was a spokesman for the group named European Belarus.
In 2012 Belarusian authorities prohibited Aliaksandr Atroshchankau to leave Belarus form calling to sanctions against regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenka{{cite web | url=https://spring96.org/en/news/51587 | title=Aliaksandr Atroshchankau prevented from leaving for Lithuania again }}
Since 2018 Aliaksandr Atroshchankau cooperates with Belarusian media Reform.byhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/aliaksandr-atroshchankau-09ba0762/ {{Self-published source|date=June 2022}} as an author of interviews with experts, diplomats and opinion-makers,{{cite web | url=https://reform.news/category/interview/black_and_white | title=Black&White }} also worked as a reporter ar NATO HQ{{cite web | url=https://www.nato.int/cps/en/natohq/opinions_171022.htm | title=Press conference by NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg {{as written|fo|lowing [sic]}} the meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of Foreign Ministers }}{{cite web | url=https://reform.news/gensek-nato-my-ne-vidim-nikakoj-ugrozy-so-storony-belarusi | title=Генсек НАТО: "Мы не видим никакой угрозы со стороны Беларуси" | date=19 November 2019 | trans-title=NATO Secretary General: "We do not see any threat from Belarus"}}
He is an expert in {{proper name|iSANS}}, an international expert initiative established in 2018 and aimed at detecting, analysing and countering hybrid threats against democracy, rule of law and sovereignty of states in Western, Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia.{{cite web | url=https://isans.org/about-us | title=О проекте iSANS – iSANS }}
Elections of 2010 and prison sentence
During the Belarus presidential election campaigns of 2010, he was the press secretary for candidate Andrei Sannikov. Sannkov's previous press secretary, Oleg Bebenin, had been found hanged; the government claimed it was suicide but his friends suspected otherwise.
On 19 December 2010, Atroshchankau was working as a journalist covering the mass protests of the election results. Many of these protests took place at Nezalezhanstsi Square in Minsk. He was working for Lithuanian Delfi, a news portal. He was one of several hundred people arrested on 19/20 December, and one of a few dozen eventually charged with offenses by the government. Amnesty International put him on a list of many Belarusian prisoners of conscience arrested during the protests. Daria Korsak, his wife, has stood picket outside of the KGB building in Minsk.
Atroshchankau was charged with violating part 2 of article 293 of the Belarus penal code (organizing and taking part in mass riot). The court also alleged that he was "part of the mob" and "forcefully tried to burst into the House of Government". According to Belsat TV he pleaded not guilty.
Aliaksandr Atroshchankau was subjected to tortures in KGB pretrial detention center for refusal to become KGB informant and testify against his colleges and himself.{{cite web|url=https://www.amnesty.org/es/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/eur490072011en.pdf|title=Urgent action|website=amnesty.org|date=7 March 2011|access-date=19 May 2023}}{{cite web|website=osce.org|date=10 March 2011|access-date=19 May 2023|url=https://www.osce.org/files/f/documents/d/0/93473.pdf|title=Statement on the Continuing Situation in Belarus}}
The trial lasted from 1 March to 2 March. It was in the court for the Frunzenski district of Minsk. The judge was Cherkas Tatsiana Stanislavauna and the prosecutor was Tatsiana Maladtsova. Atroshchankau's trial was held at the same time as Aliaksandr Malchanau and Dzmitry Novik.
On 2 March, Atroshchankau was sentenced to four years in prison. The Human Rights Centre Viasna wrote that the sentence was "politically motivated and unlawful". It also claimed that the evidence against Atroshchankau and others did not show any violation of article 293.
At the time of his arrest he was a student of International Law (Международное право) at the European Humanities University. The university said that it would work to help him with his education despite the circumstances.
On 14 September 2011 Atroshchankau was released along with ten other political prisoners by a resolution of the president. According to Atroshchankau, he did not appeal for a release.{{fact|date=March 2025}}
See also
External links
- [http://ru.delfi.lt/abroad/belorussia/sudyat-zhurnalista-aleksandra-otroschenkova.d?id=42598995 video of Atroshchankau in the Belarus courtroom] (link at delfi.lt)
References
{{reflist | refs =
|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/sep/08/belarus-activist-oleg-bebenin
|title=Belarus under pressure to investigate death of media activist Oleg Bebenin
|last=Harding
|first=Luke
|date=8 September 2010
|newspaper=The Guardian
|access-date=2011-04-22}}
[http://charter97.org/en/news/2011/2/24/36328/ Alyaksandr Atroshchankau: "I ask you to be strong and courageous"], Charter 97, 2011.2.24, retrieved from charter97.org on 2011.3.16
[http://charter97.org/en/news/2011/3/2/36469/ 4 years in prison for Andrei Sannikov’s press-secretary], Charter 97, 2011.3.2, retrieved from charter97.org on 2011.3.16
[https://web.archive.org/web/20101223131836/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-12-22/u-s-condemns-belarus-crackdowns-rejects-election-results.html U.S. Condemns Belarus Crackdowns, Rejects Election Results], Katya Andrusz and Indira A.R. Lakshmanan, Bloomberg / Businessweek, 2010 12 22, with Lyubov Pronina, Nicholas Johnston, Anastasia Ustinova, James Neuger and Hellmuth Tromm. Ed: Balazs Penz, Leon Mangasarian. retrieved from www.businessweek.com on 2011 03 16
[http://spring96.org/en/news/41596 Analysis of the criminal trial of Aliaksandr Atroshchankau, Aliaksandr Malchanau and Dzmitry Novik - The Human Rights Center ] 2011.3.4 Viasnard, retrieved from spring96.org on 2011 03 16
[http://www.onliner.lt/en/news/2011/2/28/36415/ Atroshchankau pleads not guilty], Charter 97, onliner.lt, retrieved from www.onliner.lt on 2011 03 16
[http://charter97.org/en/news/2011/2/25/36349/ Vyzvalenne: Torture is used against political prisoners], charter 97 2011.2.25 retrieved from charter97.org on 2011 03 16
[https://www.amnesty.org/en/documents/eur49/002/2011/en/ Document - Belarus: Demand release of Belarusian activists: Further information - Amnesty International] 31 January 2011, Amnesty International, retrieved from www.amnesty.org on 2011 03 16
[http://ru.delfi.lt/news/live/studenty-i-prepodavateli-egu-ozhidayut-prigovora.d?id=43160339 Студенты и преподаватели ЕГУ ожидают приговора] Константин Амелюшкин, ru.DELFI.lt, 15 3 2011 retrieved from Delfi (web portal) on 3 16 2011
[http://www.infobelarus.nu/2011/03/journalist-domd-till-4-ars-fangelse/ Journalist dömed till 4 års fängelse] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724190519/http://www.infobelarus.nu/2011/03/journalist-domd-till-4-ars-fangelse/ |date=2011-07-24 }}, 3 Mar 2011, Isabel Sommerfeld, Info Belarus retrieved from infobelarus.nu on 3.16.11
[http://www.cjes.ru/bulletins/?bid=293&country=SNG&lang=eng&PHPSESSID=6cec6846897bfb3ec35dfc4d1951deb4 Weekly Bulletin Of Events In Mass-Media Of CIS Countries Issue No. 2, 21 - 27 January 2002], Irada Guseinova, Center for Journalism in Extreme Situations, retrieved from www.cjes.ru on 2011 03 16
International League For Human Rights, Edited by Victor Cole, which cites Viasna Human Rights Center, 17 August. retrieved from www.ilhr.org on 2011 03 16
International League For Human Rights, Edited by Victor Cole, retrieved from www.ilhr.org on 2011 03 16
[http://research.tdameritrade.com/public/markets/news/story.asp?docKey=1-BT20110111001439-2DK0K63EHKH6FGLAEA5677BCBK&clauses= Belarus Charges 31 Over Election Protests - Ministry, Today's Market News - TD Ameritrade] 11 January 2011 (Dow Jones) research.tdameritrade.com on 2011 03 16
[http://goliath.ecnext.com/coms2/gi_0199-14218940/Opposition-spokesman-s-wife-pickets.html Opposition spokesman's wife pickets KGB building in Minsk] Russia & CIS Business and Financial Newswire, 19-JAN-11, reprinted in - Goliath Business News, retrieved from goliath.ecnext.com on 2011 03 16
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Otroschenkov, Alexander}}
Category:Amnesty International prisoners of conscience held by Belarus
Category:Belarusian democracy activists
Category:Belarusian dissidents
Category:Belarusian journalists
Category:Belarusian prisoners and detainees