Aleh Byabenin

Aleh Byabenin
Born Minsk, Belorussian SSR, Soviet Union
Died September 3, 2010
Residence Minsk
Nationality Belarusian
Other names Oleg Bebenin
Employer Charter97
Known for Activism, journalism

Aleh Byabenin (Belarusian: Алег Бябенін; Russian: Олег Бебенин Oleg Bebenin) was a Belarusian journalist. He was the founder and director of the Minsk-based pro-democracy news website Charter 97. He was also the campaign press secretary and friend of Andrei Sannikov.[1]

Byabenin was a leading journalist in Belarus. During the 2010 presidential elections in Belarus, Byabenin was a key member of leading opposition candidate Andrei Sannikov's campaign. He was also director and co-founder of Charter97, which was one of the few outlets for information on "opposition" candidates during the election.[2]

On September 3, 2010, late on Friday afternoon, Byabenin was found hanged in the stairway at his summer house on the outskirts of Minsk.[3][4][5] Belarusian authorities claimed that Byabenin had committed suicide.[3] Sannikov expressed suspicion of the "suicide".[2] Byabenin left no suicide note and none knew any health problems. His friend Dmitry Bandarenko, who saw the body, told that Byabenin's right ankle was badly wrenched and that he had unexplained bruises on his left hand, chest, and back.[3][4] Sannikov also stated he had no confidence in the official investigation: "It's impossible in this situation of dictatorship. Eleven years have passed since the first disappearances began in Belarus and nothing was investigated."[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Life Under Lukashenka". Belarus.tol.org. 1 December 2010. Retrieved 22 April 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 Harding, Luke (8 September 2010). "Belarus under pressure to investigate death of media activist Oleg Bebenin". Guardian (UK). Retrieved 22 April 2011.
  3. 1 2 3 Aleh Byabenin - Profile by the Committee to Protect Journalists.
  4. 1 2 The persecuation against independent voices must stop. The death of Aleh Byabenin must be investigated. The International Federation for Human Rights. 13 September 2010
  5. ↑ Belarusian Colleagues Remember Byabenin As Talented Journalist Who Was 'High On Life'. RFE/RL. 6 September 2010

External links

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