Zinaida Hanchar Asks Belarusian TV for Ether

14.09.2004.

On 13 September Zinaida Hanchar, wife of the missing politician Viktar Hanchar, filed to the administration of three Belarusian TV channels – National State TV and Radio Company of the Republic of Belarus, close corporation “Second National TV Channel” and close corporation “Capital TV” the requests to give her possibility to speak in the ether of the TV channels on 16 September, the fifth anniversary of the kidnap of her husband.

The application reads:

“Dear Director!

At present Belarusian TV channels conduct active agitation concerning the referendum that is appointed on 17 October 2004 and the possibility to prolong the presidential powers to A.R. Lukashenka. I am a citizen of the Republic of Belarus, that’s why, being guided by articles 45 and 46 of the Electoral Code of the Republic of Belarus I want to realize my right to publicly express my attitude to this event.

I ask you to give me the possibility to speak at the channel You head, on 16 September 2004, on the fifth anniversary of the kidnap of my husband, Hanchar Viktar Iosifavich, who at that time was the acting head of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Belarus of the 13th Convocation.

The aims of my speech are to:

1. inform the public, the audience of Your channel about the situation with the kidnap of my husband, well-known public activist, opponent of the present president A.R. Lukashenka. I’d like to point at the motives of the crime against my husband during the rule of A.R. Lukashenka.
2. express my views concerning the declared referendum, the results of which can result in non-disclosure of the political crime against my husband and evasion of the persons that have relation to it.”

Now Zinaida Hanchar is waiting for the answer of the duty officials of the TV channels, who are obliged to answer by the law “About applications of citizens”.