1997 press releases

Expulsion of U.S. Diplomat (March 24, 1997)

The United States deplores the unwarranted and unjustifiable arrest, detention and expulsion of Serge Aleksandrov, a U. S. citizen who is the first secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Minsk, Belarus. The pretext for Mr. Aleksandrov's expulsion--alleged "provocative activity during an unsanctioned march" and "actions that exceed the boundaries of the 1961 Vienna Convention"--is simply false. As part of his normal diplomatic duties, Mr. Aleksandrov was observing a protest. In recent weeks, the Government of Belarus has used increasingly violent and dictatorial tactics to suppress legitimate protests. Demonstrators and bystanders have been assaulted and detained without charges. In the case of American citizens caught up in the violence, they have been denied access to consular officials. These steps are clear violation of internationally accepted principles of human rights, to which Belarus is committed as a member of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe).