Database of political repression victims to be created in spring 2008 -- Rynkevich

The first version of a database of political repression victims for the past ten years in Belarus will come out in spring 2008, Ihar Rynkevich, the coordinator of the organizing committee for the rehabilitation of the victims of political repressions told the European Radio for Belarus. The committee for the rehabilitation of the political victims was founded in May 2007 by the Congress of Pro-Democracy Forces.  The database was initially thought to contain up to 1000 names. Now, Rynkevich is talking about 5000 people who faced administrative and criminal prosecution, were fired or evicted from their university for political reasons.

These people are planned in the future to seek rehabilitation and even to claim compensation for moral damages.

The organizing committee is working to unite the efforts of all the human rights groups in order to compile the database.


It is also planned to establish a "gray book" to list all those who played a role in political repressions against citizens.