Coordination Council (Belarus)

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Coordination Council for the Transfer of Power
Belarusian: Каардынацыйная рада

Russian: Координационный совет

Coordination Council English logo.svg
Formation14 August 2020 (2020-08-14)
TypeNon-governmental organisation
PurposeTo facilitate the democratic transfer of power in Belarus
Region served
Belarus
Official language
Key people
AffiliationsBelarusian democracy movement
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Politics of Belarus
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The Coordination Council for the Transfer of Power (Belarusian: Каардынацыйная рада, romanized: Kaardynacyjnaja rada; Russian: Координационный совет, romanized: Koordinatsionnyy sovyet), known often as the Coordination Council, is a Belarusian non-governmental body created by presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to facilitate a democratic transfer of power. The Council, founded during the 2020 Belarusian protests in response to the disputed 2020 Belarusian presidential election, has 64 core members (as of 13 February 2021[1]) with a 7-member leadership presidium. The first meeting of the Council took place on 18 August.[2][3] From late August to mid-October, Tsikhanouskaya and several of the presidium members were arrested or chose to exile themselves from Belarus, fearing repression by Belarusian security forces.[4]

History[]

Creation[]

The formation of the Coordination Council was announced on 14 August in a video released by Tsikhanouskaya. In the video, she also claimed that she had received between 60 and 70% of the vote in the 9 August presidential election and appealed to the international community to recognise her as the winner.[5] Tsikhanouskaya stated that the aims of the council is to coordinate a peaceful and orderly transfer of power from incumbent president Alexander Lukashenko[6][7][8] and to hold a new, free and fair presidential election at the earliest opportunity.

On 17 August, Tsikhanouskaya released a video in which she stated that she was ready to lead a transitional government.[9]

On 18 August, the Council held its first press conference with questions being answered by Olga Kovalkova, Maxim Znak, Maria Kolesnikova, Pavel Latushko, and Sergey Dylevsky.[10]

On 19 August, the Council elected a 7-member Presidium.[11]

August–September 2020[]

On 19 August, Tsikhanouskaya recorded an appeal to EU leaders not to recognise the presidential election results in a meeting of EU heads of government scheduled for later that day.[12]

On 19 August, Alexander Lukashenko described the Coordination Council members, stating, "Some of them were once in or close to power. They were kicked out and hold a grudge. Others are outright Nazis. Just take a look at their names."[13][14] On the same day, former presidential contender Valery Tsepkalo said he did not understand the criteria for the new council's formation and its tasks. He complained that he was not invited.[15]

On 20 August, Prosecutor-General Alexander Konyuk initiated criminal proceedings against the Coordination Council members under Article 361 of the Belarusian Criminal Code.[16][17] In a statement released, Konyuk alleged that the "creation and activity of the Coordination Council are aimed at seizure of state power, and at harming national security" and that "the creation of such bodies is not allowed in law, and they are unconstitutional."[18] On the same day, presidium members Dylevsky and Znak were summoned for police questioning.[19] Znak and Dylevsky arrived for questioning on the morning of 21 August and were later released.[20]

On 21 August, Tsikhanouskaya's lawyer Znak filed a formal protest concerning the presidential election with the Supreme Court of Belarus. Znak said that "A complaint has been submitted. A decision on when to start proceedings is due within three days."[21] On 24 August, presidium members Dylevsky and Kovalkova were detained by OMON officers whilst attempting to support a wildcat strike at the Minsk Tractor Works factory.[22] Presidium members Vlasova, Latushko, Alexievich, and Kolesnikova were also summoned for questioning.[23] Both Kovalkova and Dylevsky were sentenced to 10 days' imprisonment the following day.[24]

On 26 August, Ivonka Survilla, President of the Rada of the Belarusian People's Republic, expressed her support for Tsikhanouskaya.[25]

On 31 August, presidium member Vlasova was detained by the OMON.[26]

On 5 September, presidium member Kovalkova chose to leave Belarus rather than remain in detention over the Section 361 charges.[27]

On 7 September, presidium member Kolesnikova was detained by unidentified masked men in Minsk.[28][29]

As of 9 September, the only member of the presidium not yet arrested or missing is laureate of the Nobel Prize in Literature, Svetlana Alexievich,.[30] However, there were reports from Belarusian journalists that unknown men were knocking at the doors of her home.[31] As of 9 August 2020, she was under round-the-clock guard by diplomats for several European countries, including ambassadors from Poland and Lithuania.[32][33][34]

At a press conference in Poland, council member Pavel Latushko condemned the situation in Belarus, claiming that 10,000 people were subject to misconduct and imprisonment orchestrated by the security forces. He stated that 450 people were tortured, and protesters were put into jail on fake charges. Latushko and Olga Kovalkova invited the OSCE and United Nations to send observers to Belarus to assess the situation.[35]

25 October ultimatum[]

On 16 October, Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya was put on the wanted lists in Belarus and Russia on charges of "attempting to overthrow the constitutional order".[36]

Shadow government[]

Main article: National Anti-crisis Management

In late October 2020, the Pavel Latushko, a presidium member, created National Anti-crisis Management (NAM), a shadow government, to manage the detailed administration tasks of a peaceful transfer of power leading to the inauguration of a newly elected president.[37][38] NAM published internal reports of the Belarusian Ministry of Internal Affairs, according to which 25,800 people had been detained between 9 August and 9 November 2020, and 4000 complaints of torture and other illegal actions had been lodged with the ministry and ignored.[39]

Truth commission[]

See also: Truth and reconciliation commission

In late November 2020, the Council published a draft document for debating the creation of a truth and reconciliation commission for the purposes of transitional justice. The commission, termed a "special agency", would "consider the use of physical force, special equipment and weapons against citizens in connection with political positions" or the violation or calls for the violation of citizens' rights by public officials during the Belarusian crisis.[40] The agency would only consider individual responsibility; membership of an organisation would not be grounds for prosecution. In cases in which no physical harm was involved, the accused would go through a conciliation procedure. Other cases would be prosecuted under administrative, "disciplinary," or criminal law. The showing of "effective remorse" or the lack of it would weaken or strengthen some of the financial and property penalties in the proposed legal definition of the agency's powers.[41]

Objectives and structure[]

Objectives[]

The Council has stated that its primary goals are:[42]

  • To end the political persecution of citizens and for those responsible to be brought to justice.
  • For the release of all political prisoners in Belarus.
  • The annulment of the 9 August presidential election and for new elections to be conducted to international standards organised by a reconstituted central elections commission.

Council Presidium member Pavel Latushko stated that the Council does not want to radically change the course of Belarusian foreign policy, adding that it wants to maintain "friendly and profound" relations with Russia, as well as to have a good working relationship with the European Union and to act as a bridge between the east and west.[43]

Structure[]

Tsikhanouskaya stated that applications to the council were open to Belarusian citizens who recognised the officially declared election results to be falsified, and who were trusted by social groups. Applications were invited from individuals representing workers' groups, political parties, trade unions, and other organisations of civic society and from authoritative figures such as doctors, teachers, business leaders, authors, or sportspersons.[44] Olga Kovalkova and lawyer Maxim Znak were given responsibility for collating and approving membership applications.[45]

Presidium[]

Five Members of the presidium: Pavel Latushko, Maria Kalesnikava, Olga Kovalkova, Maxim Znak, and Sergei Dylevsky

The Council elected a 7-member presidium on 19 August.[11] The members of the presidium are:[46][47]

Detentions and location[]

Name Detentions/disappearances Out of Belarus as of/since
Tsikhanouskaya Out 11 Aug– 2020[50]
Alexievich Out 28 Sep– 2020
Dylevsky 24 Aug–17 Sep 2020[23][4] Out c. 13 Oct– 2020[4]
Kalesnikava 7 Sep– 2020[28]
Kovalkova 24 Aug–3 Sep 2020[23] Out as of 5 September 2020[27]
Latushko Out as of 9 September 2020[35]
Vlasova 31 Aug– 2020[26]
Znak 9 Sep– 2020[51]

Members[]

An initial membership list, consisting of 35 members, was circulated on 17 August and expanded to 51 members on 18 August.[52][53] The council had 59 members in its core membership group on 29 August 2020,[54] increasing to 64 members as of 13 February 2021.[1] In addition to the 7-member presidium, other members, as of 13 February 2021, include athlete Nadzeya Astapchuk, film director Jury Chaščavacki, civic leader Ales Bialiatski, politician  [ru], physicist Alexander Dabravolski, politician  [ru], of the United Civic Party of Belarus, Andrei Kureichik, politician Vital Rymasheuski, painter  [ru], former EPAM Systems top-manager , independent analyst .[1][55] On 24 August 2020, the council included an "expanded" support list of 600 members.[56]

Working groups[]

As of 16 October 2020, the Coordination Council included working groups on several socio-political themes:[57]

Representatives[]

On August 31, 2021 the Coordination Council presented a structure update that implies the election of representatives in eight key areas of development.[59]

Representatives of the Coordination Council should act as a liaison between international partners and national actors in certain areas, help establish professional ties, prepare analytical notes on the situation in their field, promote topics among international structures, participate in expert discussions, jointly develop support plans for certain sectors.

Representatives are elected positions with a 6-month mandate. The candidates publicly present the program, which should be implemented in the next six months.

International reaction[]

Tsikhanouskaya has asked the international community to support the efforts of the Coordination Council.[60]

States[]

  • European Union Josep Borrell, the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, has called for the authorities in Belarus to stop criminal proceedings against members of the coordination council.[61] The European Parliament has recognised the coordination council as the "interim representation of the people demanding democratic change in Belarus" and will not recognise Alexander Lukashenko as president of Belarus once his current term expires.[62]
  • Lithuania Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda spoke with Tsikhanouskaya by telephone, offering his support for the coordination council.[63] The Prime Minister of Lithuania has also called on Belarus to conduct new, "free and fair" elections supervised by international monitors.[64] Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius has referred to Lukashenko as the "former president" of Belarus.[65] On 20 August, Lithuanian prime minister Saulius Skvernelis invited Sviatlana to his office and publicly referred to her as "the national leader of Belarus.[66] On 10 September, a law was passed by the Lithuanian Parliament which recognises Tsikhanouskaya as the "elected leader of the people of Belarus" and the Coordination Council as the "only legitimate representatives of the Belarusian people". The resolution also declares that Lukashenko is an "illegitimate leader".[67]
  • Poland Polish Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, referred to the Coordination Council as the right partner for the authorities to negotiate with.[68]
  • Russia On 25 August, a spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed that the leadership of the Coordination Council did not want to reduce ties with Russia and instead hoped to continue with good bilateral relationships between the two countries.[69]
  • United States The US Secretary of State in a statement urged the Belarusian government to actively engage Belarusian society, including through the newly established Coordination Council, in a way that reflects what the Belarusian people are demanding, for the sake of the future of Belarus, and for a successful Belarus.[70][circular reference] The United States Government has also stated that "the people have clearly rejected the regime".[71]

Citizens' protest groups[]

On 1 November 2020, in the context of the October 2020 Polish protests, Polish citizens led by All-Poland Women's Strike created a Consultative Council that they said was inspired by the Belarusian Coordination Council.[72]

See also[]

References[]

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