US embassy cable - 05MINSK941

UNCLAS MINSK 000941 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV, PHUM, PREL, BO 
SUBJECT: BANDAZHEVSKY RELEASED 
 
 
1. Summary:  Chernobyl researcher and doctor of 
radiology Yuri Bandazhevsky was released on August 5 
after serving six years of chimia (supervised labor in a 
rural area), but he will remain on probation for another 
five months.  Many viewed Bandazhevsky's trial and eight- 
year sentence for bribery as politically motivated 
punishment in response to the doctor's research on 
severe health effects on people living in Chernobyl- 
contaminated areas, which showed the GOB was doing 
little to mitigate these effects.  Bandazhevsky plans to 
continue his scientific research, but only as far as the 
government will let him.  He is now with relatives in 
Minsk.  End Summary. 
 
2. On August 5, former director of the Gomel Medical 
Institute (GMI) Yuri Bandazhevsky was released from 
prison after serving six years for allegedly accepting a 
bribe.  Late in the night of July 13, 1999, police 
arrested Bandazhevsky at his home and whisked him away 
to an unknown location.  One month passed before 
authorities announced that Bandazhevsky was being held 
at a pre-trial detention center in Mogilev, 200 km north 
of Gomel.  At his trial, the prosecutor cited testimony 
from his former colleague and deputy director of GMI 
Vladimir Ravkov, saying he witnessed Bandazhevsky 
accepting bribe money.  However, Ravkov later claimed he 
gave the testimony while under the influence of powerful 
psychotropic drugs and investigators failed to locate 
the alleged money Bandazhevsky received or the people 
who bribed him.  Despite the lack of evidence, the court 
sentenced Bandazhevsky to eight years in a maximum- 
security prison in Grodno. 
 
3. Many believe the GOB punished Bandazhevsky because 
his research on the effects of radionuclides on the 
health of people living in contaminated zones 
contradicted the government's less-alarming research. 
After extensive cardiographs of affected children and 
analysis of organs from deceased residents, Bandazhevsky 
concluded that as a result of the Chernobyl fallout the 
contaminated areas witnessed four times as many cardio- 
vascular problems among the population and that 10 - 30 
times higher concentration of Cesium-137 in vital organs 
was responsible for increased rates of disease, 
mutation, and fetus abnormalities. [Note: Lukashenko has 
been telling the public that it is safe to live in the 
contaminated zones and to produce agricultural products 
on the affected land.] 
 
4. In the spring of 1999, Bandazhevsky sat on a 
committee in charge of monitoring radiation treatment 
and controlling government funds for research and 
treatment.  Bandazhevsky wrote a report blaming the GOB, 
particularly the National Security Committee and 
President Lukashenko, for not taking responsibility for 
citizens' health and citing how only six percent of 
available funds was given to the Radiological Medical 
Institute.  Not long after his report, three committees 
from the Ministry of Health inspected GMI's facilities, 
but did not find any violations.  He was arrested 
shortly afterwards. 
 
5. Bandazhevsky's early release was a surprise to many. 
In January, the parole board denied him early release 
because Bandazhevsky refused to admit his guilt and pay 
litigation fees.  The next date for a possible release 
was not until Spring 2006.  Under amnesty laws enacted 
in 2002 and 2004, his sentence was shortened by two 
years. 
 
6. While imprisoned, Bandazhevsky continued to write 
scientific reports and articles and wrote a novel 
entitled "The Philosophy of My Life", which has been 
translated into French and will soon be published. 
Bandazhevsky plans to continue his scientific research, 
but only as much as authorities would allow.  His plans 
include opening a private laboratory in cooperation with 
France's CRIIRAD (a commission for independent research 
and information on radioactivity) to continue research 
into cesium radionuclides.  Bandazhevsky also hinted at 
researching effects on the health of people living in 
difficult and stressful conditions [i.e., prison].  At 
the moment, he is currently living with relatives in 
Minsk. 
 
KROL