[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 52 (Thursday, March 29, 2012)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2224-S2225]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                IIHF 2014 WORLD ICE HOCKEY CHAMPIONSHIP

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, in the last few years, we have seen 
dictator after dictator tumble across the world: Qadhafi in Libya, Ben 
Ali in Tunisia, Mubarak in Egypt, Saleh in Yemen, and eventually Bashar 
al-Assad in Syria.
  Yet there is one dictator who hangs on. He is the last dictator in 
Europe. You may not be familiar with his name, but they certainly know 
him in neighboring countries. He is the strong-man President of 
Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko.
  For more than 20 years, he has ruled Belarus with an iron fist--using 
a barbaric combination of repression, intimidation, and torture to 
maintain power. He is so bold as to continue to call his security 
services the KGB. Can you imagine in today's world calling your 
security service the same name as the dread security service of the 
Soviet Union, the KGB?
  Under Lukashenko's reign, elections have been consistently rigged, 
arrests have been made for political purposes, and the public's basic 
freedoms of speech, assembly, association, even religion--which we take 
for granted--are severely restricted.
  As shown in this photograph I have in the Chamber, this is Alexander 
Lukashenko, the last dictator in Europe, the President of Belarus.
  On December 19, 2010, Lukashenko was given an opportunity to ease the 
iron grip of his police state and move closer to democracy by holding a 
legitimate Presidential election. He could not bring himself to do it. 
He orchestrated a fraudulent election, and then he turned around on the 
day of the election and arrested all of his opponents who had the 
audacity to run against him and threw them in prison. How about that?
  I was in Belarus shortly afterwards and met with their families. 
These people were distraught, beside themselves about what had 
happened.
  One of these detainees who was eventually released came and saw me in 
November, Ales Mikhalevich, one of the Presidential candidates who had 
been arrested, tortured, and denied basic legal rights for months. 
Recently he had been given political asylum in the Czech Republic, 
where he continues to fight for human rights in Belarus. His wife and 
daughters, whom I met in Minsk, in Belarus, are still being harassed by 
the KGB as of today.
  Ales Mikhalevich and others from the hundreds who were imprisoned 
have been released, but others were not so lucky.
  Mikalai Statkevich, a Presidential candidate, was sentenced to 6 
years and can barely receive the medical assistance he needs.
  Andrei Sannikau, another Presidential candidate, was sentenced to 5 
years in prison for having the boldness to run against this dictator.
  A number of other political activists who have engaged in political 
activity which we take for granted in the United States have been 
languishing in prison. I thought about it this week, as the 
demonstrators gathered in front of the Supreme Court, marching back and 
forth with signs, how we take that for granted. You try to do that in a 
country like Belarus, you will end up in prison. Thank God the United 
States has a much better standard when it comes to basic rights.
  Here are the names of some of the other activists Lukashenko has 
thrown in prison: Zmitser Dashkevich, Eduard Lobau, Paval Sevyarynets, 
Zmister Bandarenka, Ales Byalyatski, Mikalai Autukhovich.
  Authoritarians frequently torture these activists, trying to pressure 
them to sign letters admitting a guilt that does not exist. But I want 
to speak about something that is going to come up where Belarus and 
Lukashenko are going to become international celebrities.
  On February 16, Mikhalevich, whom I mentioned earlier, was one of the 
13 who picketed the headquarters of Praugue-based automobile company 
Skoda, a subsidaiary of Volkswagen.
  Why did they picket Skoda?
  Skoda is one of the major sponsors of the International Ice Hockey 
Federation's World Championship, and has been for the last 19 years. In 
fact, Skoda's this automobile company's--relationship with the Hockey 
Federation is one of the longest lasting sponsorships. And much to the 
disbelief of the rest of the world, the International Ice Hockey 
Federation has chosen to host its championship in Belarus. Why? Because 
Lukashenko, the dictator, is such a big fan of hockey. All the while, 
political prisoners, including Presidential candidates, will be 
languishing in prison because of this dictator.
  Companies such as Skoda, Nike, and Reebok are among the major 
corporate sponsors of this federation that is holding its championship 
in Belarus.
  Last year, I joined Congressman Mike Quigley of Chicago and National 
Hockey League Hall of Famer turned European Parliamentarian Peter 
Stastny and wrote to the International Ice Hockey Federation President 
Rene Fasel, urging that the 2014 games in Belarus be suspended until 
the political prisoners are released. How can anyone celebrate the 
excitement of a world-class sports championship when people are 
languishing in prison for their political beliefs? They ignored our 
request.
  I spoke to USA Hockey, which represents the United States in this 
federation. They paid no attention.
  It turns out the International Ice Hockey Federation will be meeting 
next month in Finland. Belarus is likely to be on the agenda. It should 
be. It should be at the top of the agenda.
  The honor of hosting this prestigious international sporting event in 
a country where the President is regarded as Europe's last dictator is 
hardly a reflection of the quality of the sport that is involved.
  An ardent fan of ice hockey and the head of the Belarus national 
Olympic committee, rewarding Lukashenko with the 2014 World Ice Hockey 
Championship ignores his regime's atrocities.
  I have tried to reach out to Skoda, owned by Volkswagen, Nike, 
Reebok, and other sponsors to let them know their image is at stake too 
if they validate this dictator's policies and give honor to a country 
which does not recognize the basic freedoms.
  This photograph I have in the Chamber shows Skoda's CEO, Winfried 
Vahland, in the center, along with Hockey Federation President Fasel on 
the right, as they celebrate Skoda's commitment to sponsor the world 
championship through 2017.
  Skoda contends its sponsorship of the event does not indicate 
approval of what is going on in Belarus--simply their dedication to 
hockey. That does not show much courage.
  Lukashenko's preparations for this ice hockey tournament indicate 
that Belarus is expecting a lot of visitors and a big economic boost.

[[Page S2225]]

  I am once again calling on the International Ice Hockey Federation in 
their meeting in Finland to consider this matter at the top of their 
agenda and to suspend their plans to hold the Federation Championship 
in Belarus in 2014.
  There are many other countries around the world more than anxious to 
join them and make this a championship well deserving with a host 
country that is one we can be proud of.
  My feelings about this are not alone. The European Union recently 
widened sanctions against Lukashenko and his cronies. Lukashenko 
promptly recalled his Belarusian representative to the EU, after which 
EU Ambassadors were withdrawn from Belarus.
  After a summit in Brussels earlier this month, Lukashenko--never at a 
loss for words--criticized the European Union politicians and railed on 
the German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, the first openly gay 
minister in Germany. President Lukashenko said:

       It is better to be a dictator than gay.

  That is a quote. He went on to say:

       Belarusians deserve to host the World Championship in 2014 
     in Belarus.

  That is incredible. What sports organization wants to validate those 
comments?
  I want to close by saying, I hope the International Ice Hockey 
Federation's Annual Congress will make the right decision in May. I 
hope its corporate sponsors will feel a little uneasy being associated 
with Dictator Lukashenko and his policies in Belarus. I hope they will 
suspend the 2014 Championship unless the political prisoners are at 
least released and that other international sporting groups, such as 
the International Cycling Union, follow their example.
  I want the United States, in partnership with the European Union, to 
continue to place pressure on Lukashenko to open his political system 
and to stand by the Belarusian people in their efforts to bring justice 
to their country.

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