Ivan Kravtsov Explained

Ivan Kravtsov
Native Name:Иван Кравцов
Іван Краўцоў
Native Name Lang:ru
Birth Date:10 June 1989
Birth Place:Minsk, BSSR, Soviet Union
Citizenship:Belarus
Occupation:Architect, manager
Education:Master of Economics
Alma Mater:BNTU, BSEU
Party:"Razam"
Known For:2020 Belarusian presidential election

Ivan Yevgenyevich Kravtsov (Belarusian: Іван Яўгеньевіч Краўцоў; born June 10, 1989) is a political activist, architect, manager, executive secretary of the Coordination Council of the Belarusian Opposition,[1] [2] member of the organising committee of the party "Razam" and the team of presidential candidate in 2020 Belarusian elections Viktar Babaryka.[3]

Early life

Ivan was born in Minsk on June 10, 1989. His mother, Kravtsova Lyudmila, is a Belarusian pop artist and singer.[4] His father, Yevgeny Kravtsov (deceased in 2012[5]), was a shareholder and chairman of MinskComplexBank, a Minsk-based commercial bank, liquidated in 2005.[6] Grandmother, Kravtsova Halina, is a professor of economics at BSEU.[7] [8]

Career

Pre-politics

Ivan is also a founder and art director of Architectural bureau 35, based in Minsk.[9] Until May 2019, Ivan Kravtsov worked as Chief Strategy Officer at Minsk Watch Factory "Luch."[10]

2020 Belarusian presidential election

See main article: 2020 Belarusian presidential election and 2020–2021 Belarusian protests. In May 2020, Ivan Kravtsov joined the campaign team of Belarusian banker and presidential candidate in the 2020 Belarusian presidential elections Viktar Babaryka, as public relations executive manager.[11] On July 28, 2020, together with Maria Kalesnikava and other Viktar Babaryka team members, he petitioned the KGB of Belarus for a change of restraining order of Viktar.[3]

After the election day, on August 18, 2020, political and civic activists formed the Coordination Council. The Coordination Council members aimed at holding talks with the Belarusian authorities on a peaceful transfer of power.[12] Ivan joined the Coordination Council as its Executive Secretary.

On September 1, 2020, Kravtsov was summoned for questioning in the Investigative Committee of the Republic of Belarus. He was interviewed as a witness within the frame of a criminal inquiry under Article 361 of the Criminal Code of Belarus (organization of an extremist group).

Maria Kalesnikava's abduction and criminal charges

See main article: Maria Kalesnikava.

On September 7, 2020, the media reported that the coordinator of the Viktar Babaryka team and one of the political activists, Maria Kalesnikava has disappeared. She had gone missing along with Ivan Kravtsov and the press-secretary of the Coordination Council, Anton Radniankou.[13] [14]

As it turned out later, Kravtsov was escorted to the Financial Investigation Department (FID), where unknown security officials threatened him with 12-year imprisonment. They demanded Kravtsov to bring Kalesnikava out of the country using his private car. According to the officials, the operation was meant to "de-escalate" the political situation in Belarus through its later media coverage as "leaders gave up on the protest movement".[15] [16] [17] [18]

The same day Kravtsov's apartment was searched by FID.[19] Though KGB operatives threatened Maria Kalesnikava with imprisonment or murder, she managed to stay by deliberately tearing up her passport at the Belarus-Ukrainian border.[20] [21] [22] [23] Kravtsov and Radniankou were able to reach Ukraine, despite Alexander Lukashenko announcing the request for the extradition of both.[24]

On September 11, the State Control Committee of the Republic of Belarus opened a criminal case against Kravtsov under Part 4 Article 210 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus for theft through abuse of power.[25]

On September 17, Ivan Kravtsov applied to the Investigative Committee for opening an investigation over his abduction and illegal extradition.[26]

Party "Razam"

See main article: Razam (Belarusian political party).

In August 2020, Viktar Babaryka and Maria Kalesnikava announced the foundation of the "Razam" political party in a video message. They said that soon the team would submit documents for registration of the party.[27] [28] However, Maria Kalesnikova and several other members of the Babaryka team were arrested shortly after. The creation of the political party resumed at the end of March 2021. Ivan Kravtsov joined the organizing committee along with other team members and activists.[29] [30]

The Coordination Council

See main article: Coordination Council (Belarus).

Kravtsov has been the secretary of the Coordination Council since its formation in 2020.[31] On January 23, 2024, the Belarusian Investigative Committee announced that charges where brought against Kravtsov, which are related to his activity in the Coordination Council. He has been accused of conspiracy or other actions committed to seize government power, сreation of an extremist group, and other articles of the criminal code.[32] Previously, the Belarusian authorities recognized the Coordination Council as an extremist organization in 2023.[33] On May 16, 2024, Kravtsov was sentenced to 11 years of prison in absentia.[34]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: 2020-09-01. На допрос вызван исполнительный секретарь совета белорусской оппозиции. Executive Secretary of Belarusian Opposition Council is Brought to Interrogation. ru . . Moscow. 2021-08-26.
  2. Web site: Coordination Council of Belarus . Coordination Council . 3 June 2021.
  3. News: 2020-09-01. Штаб Бабарико подал ходатайство в КГБ, чтобы Виктора выпустили из СИЗО. Babaryka Team Pleads to KGB for Viktar to Be Released. ru . The Village Беларусь. Minsk. 2020-07-28.
  4. News: Bezkorovakny. Dmitry. 2002-03-11. CD-ОБЗОР. CD REVIEW. ru . BelGazeta. Minsk. 2021-06-03.
  5. News: 2012-12-24. Умер известный белорусский банкир. A Well-known Belarusian Banker is Dead. ru. Belarusian Partisan. Minsk. 2021-11-23.
  6. News: 1999-09-01. Belarus: Living With an Image Problem. en. Euromoney. 2021-11-23.
  7. News: 2020-09-19. "Я з 13 гадоў ведаю, што такое КДБ". "I've known since I was 13 years old what a KGB is". be. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 2021-06-03.
  8. Web site: Кравцова Галина Ивановна, Halina Kravtsjova.
  9. News: Malakhov. Dmitry. 2017-06-29. Строить брутально. To Build Brutally. ru . dom-expert.by. Minsk. 2021-11-23.
  10. News: 2019-05-19. Главный стратег завода "Луч" покинул свою должность. Chief Strategist of Minsk Watch Plant Has Left His Job. ru. Marketing.by. Minsk. 2021-11-23. 2021-05-06. https://web.archive.org/web/20210506193045/https://marketing.by/novosti-rynka/glavnyy-strateg-zavoda-luch-pokinul-svoyu-dolzhnost-vspominaem-samye-yarkie-proekty-sozdannye-brendo/. dead.
  11. News: Becchio. Anastasia. 2021-07-21. Viktor Babaryko, l'homme politique le plus populaire de Biélorussie, devant Loukachenko. Viktor Babaryko, Belarus' most popular politician, ahead of Lukashenko. fr . Radio France Internationale. 2021-11-23.
  12. News: 2020-08-19. Оппозиция в Белоруссии призвала власти страны немедленно начать переговоры. Opposition in Belarus Demands to Start Negotiations. ru. TASS. Minsk. 2021-11-23.
  13. News: Davies. Guy. 2020-09-07. Key opposition figure in Belarus disappears after weekend of mass protests. en . ABC News. 2021-11-23.
  14. News: 2020-09-07. В Минске пропала Мария Колесникова. Maria Kalesnikava Disappears in Minsk. ru. Kommersant. 2021-11-23.
  15. News: Aris. Ben. 2020-09-09. More details of Belarus' failed attempt to expel opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova emerge. en. Bne IntelliNews. Berlin. 2021-11-23.
  16. News: 2020-09-08 . Родненков и Кравцов — о том, как покинули Беларусь без Колесниковой . . 2021-06-03 . 2020-09-08 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200908182146/https://news.tut.by/economics/699770.html . dead .
  17. News: CCTV footage said to show car carrying Belarus opposition figure at border – video . . 8 September 2020 . 3 June 2021.
  18. News: Levchenko . Grigory . That's why she's one of our leaders . 3 June 2021 . . 8 September 2020.
  19. News: 2020-09-07. Обыск прошел в квартире пропавшего белорусского оппозиционера. Searches conducted it the apartment of the disappeared Belarusian opposition activist Kravtsov. ru. Interfax. 2021-08-23.
  20. News: Kozhedubov. Artyom. 2020-10-09. Колесникова в деталях рассказала хронологию ее похищения и ареста. Kalesnikova describes in detail the chronology of her abduction and arrest. ru. Moskovskij Komsomolets. Moscow. 2020-06-07.
  21. News: Belarusian Coordination Council member Maria Kolesnikova detained at the border . 3 June 2021 . . 8 September 2020.
  22. News: Harding. Luke. Luke Harding. 2020-09-08. Belarus opposition leader 'ripped up passport at Ukraine border'. en. The Guardian. 2021-11-23.
  23. News: Gordeev. Vladislav. 2020-09-08. Белорусские оппозиционеры сообщили о погоне на границе с Украиной. Belarusian opposition activists reported a chase on the border with Ukraine. ru. RBK Group. Moscow. 2021-06-03.
  24. News: 2020-09-08. Лукашенко попросил Киев вернуть двух белорусских оппозиционеров. Lukashenko asked Kiev to return two Belarusian opposition activists. ru. Interfax. 2020-06-07.
  25. News: 2020-09-08. Уехавший на Украину белорусский оппозиционер Кравцов стал фигурантом уголовного дела. Belarusian opposition activist Kravtsov, who left for Ukraine, became a defendant in a criminal case. ru. Interfax. Moscow. 2020-06-07.
  26. News: 2020-09-08. Секретарь совета белорусской оппозиции Кравцов требует открыть дело по факту его похищения. Secretary of the Belarusian Opposition Council Kravtsov demands the opening of a case on his kidnapping. ru. TASS. Minsk. 2020-06-07.
  27. News: 2020-08-31. Belarus opposition leaders creating political party: video. en. Reuters. Moscow. 2021-11-23.
  28. News: Ivanova. Polina. 2020-09-01. Belarus opposition leaders to create new political party. en. The Independent. 2021-11-23.
  29. News: 2021-03-29. Штаб Бабарико заявил о создании партии "Вместе". Babariko's headquarters announced the creation of the "Together" party. ru. TASS. Minsk. 2021-11-23.
  30. News: 2021-03-31. В штабе Бабарико заявили, что будут пытаться зарегистрировать создаваемую им партию. Babariko's headquarters said they would try to register the party he was creating. ru. TASS. Minsk. 2021-11-23.
  31. News: "Special proceedings" were also launched against the secretary of the Coordination Council . 2024-01-27 . . 2024-01-23.
  32. News: A criminal case has been opened in Minsk against Kravtsov, a representative of the opposition council. . 2024-01-27 . . 2024-01-23.
  33. News: [Coordination Council (Belarus) The Ministry of Internal Affairs recognized the Coordination Council, Tikhanovskaya's team and a group of analysts as "extremist formations ]. 2024-01-27 . . 2023-01-26.
  34. Web site: В Беларуси суд заочно назначил исполнительному секретарю Координационного совета оппозиции Ивану Кравцову 11 лет колонии. In Belarus, the court sentenced in absentia the executive secretary of the Coordination Council of the Opposition Ivan Kravtsov to 11 years in prison. Voice of America. May 16, 2024. ru.

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