OSCE Office concerned over assault on prominent Belarusian opposition figure

MINSK, 6 July 2004 - The Head of the OSCE Office in Minsk, Ambassador Eberhard Heyken, expressed great concern about last week's assault on opposition politician General Valery Frolov.

"This incident must be condemned," he said today in the Belarusian capital.

"It is very unfortunate as it comes in the midst of increased political activity in Belarus in the run-up to the parliamentary elections."

In the late evening of 1 July, General Frolov, the leader of the Respublika parliamentary group, and his driver were attacked and severely beaten by five unknown men in the vicinity of the politician's apartment in Minsk. General Frolov's briefcase, containing documents brought back from a trip to Moscow the same day, was seized by the assailants.

The OSCE Office in Minsk is seriously concerned by this horrendous act. "I urge Belarusian authorities to conduct a swift investigation of the case so that those responsible can be brought to justice and the circumstances fully cleared up," Ambassador Heyken said.

The Head of the OSCE Office called for an open and fair election environment, free from intimidation. He expressed the readiness of the Office to help in building confidence among major stake holders.