Aleh Byabenin

Aleh Bjabenin (White Russian Алег Бябенін; Russian Олег Бебенин / Oleg Bebenin; born June 14, 1974 in Kostroma, † 2nd or 3rd September 2010 in Dsjarschynsk region near Minsk ) was a Belarusian journalist.

Life

Bjabenin studied journalism at the Belarusian State University in Minsk.

After working as deputy editor of the independent newspaper Imja in the 1990s, he became known as the editor of the anti-government website Charter97, which he founded in 1998. The site was operated despite increasing pressure from the Belarusian government of Bjabenin further and was an important voice of opposition.

In April 1997 Bjabenin was kidnapped by Belarusian KGB and beaten in September 1999 by hired by the KGB thugs.

On March 16, 2010 Computer seized by Charter97 in connection with one of a KGB officials raised criminal case.

Bjabenin was found dead September 3, 2010 around 17:30 clock, a few months before the presidential election, in his weekend house near the Belarus capital Minsk. The cause of death is still unclear. Before the election, there was in the country more and more often to crackdowns on civil rights activists and arrests of government critics.

As date of death was recorded in the death certificate September 2, 2010, during an expert arrived at the September 3, 2010 against 14 clock as a time of death. Bjabenin had towards his family indicated that they want to meet in the afternoon of September 2 with someone. The partner of the meeting is still unknown.

The burial took place on September 6.

Bjabenin leaves behind his wife and two sons.