Ivan Kravtsov

Ivan Yevgenyevich Kravtsov (Belarusian: Іван Яўгеньевіч Краўцоў; born June 10, 1989, in Minsk, Belarusian SSR) 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]

Ivan Kravtsov
Иван Кравцов
Іван Краўцоў
Belarusian: lvan Yauhenievich Kravtsov
Ivan Kravtsov, Minsk, August 22, 2020
Born (1989-06-10) 10 June 1989
Minsk, BSSR, Soviet Union
CitizenshipBelarus
EducationMaster of Economics
Alma materBNTU, BSEU
Occupation(s)Architect, manager
Known for2020 Belarusian presidential election
Political party"Razam"

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
Main articles: 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).[1]

Maria Kalesnikava's abduction and criminal charges
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"
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]

See also

References
  1. "На допрос вызван исполнительный секретарь совета белорусской оппозиции" [Executive Secretary of Belarusian Opposition Council is Brought to Interrogation]. interfax.ru (in Russian). Moscow. 2020-09-01. Retrieved 2021-08-26.
  2. "Coordination Council of Belarus". Coordination Council. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  3. "Штаб Бабарико подал ходатайство в КГБ, чтобы Виктора выпустили из СИЗО" [Babaryka Team Pleads to KGB for Viktar to Be Released]. The Village Беларусь (in Russian). Minsk. 2020-09-01. Retrieved 2020-07-28.
  4. Bezkorovakny, Dmitry (2002-03-11). "CD-ОБЗОР" [CD REVIEW]. BelGazeta (in Russian). Minsk. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  5. "Умер известный белорусский банкир" [A Well-known Belarusian Banker is Dead]. Белорусский партизан (in Russian). Minsk. 2012-12-24. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  6. "Belarus: Living With an Image Problem". Euromoney. 1999-09-01. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  7. ""Я з 13 гадоў ведаю, што такое КДБ"" ["I've known since I was 13 years old what a KGB is"]. Radio Free Liberty (in Belarusian). 2020-09-19. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  8. "Кравцова Галина Ивановна, Halina Kravtsjova".
  9. Malakhov, Dmitry (2017-06-29). "Строить брутально" [To Build Brutally]. dom-expert.by (in Russian). Minsk. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  10. "Главный стратег завода "Луч" покинул свою должность" [Chief Strategist of Minsk Watch Plant Has Left His Job]. Marketing.by (in Russian). Minsk. 2019-05-19. Archived from the original on 2021-05-06. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  11. 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]. RFI (in French). Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  12. "Оппозиция в Белоруссии призвала власти страны немедленно начать переговоры" [Opposition in Belarus Demands to Start Negotiations]. TASS (in Russian). Minsk. 2020-08-19. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  13. Davies, Guy (2020-09-07). "Key opposition figure in Belarus disappears after weekend of mass protests". abc News. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  14. "В Минске пропала Мария Колесникова" [Maria Kalesnikava Disappears in Minsk]. Комерсантъ (in Russian). 2020-09-07. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  15. Aris, Ben (2020-09-09). "More details of Belarus' failed attempt to expel opposition leader Maria Kolesnikova emerge". BNE Intellinews. Berlin. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  16. "Родненков и Кравцов — о том, как покинули Беларусь без Колесниковой". TUT.by. 2020-09-08. Archived from the original on 2020-09-08. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  17. "CCTV footage said to show car carrying Belarus opposition figure at border – video". The Guardian. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  18. Levchenko, Grigory (8 September 2020). "That's why she's one of our leaders". Meduza. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  19. "Обыск прошел в квартире пропавшего белорусского оппозиционера" [Searches conducted it the apartment of the disappeared Belarusian opposition activist Kravtsov]. Interfax (in Russian). 2020-09-07. Retrieved 2021-08-23.
  20. 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]. Moskovsky Komsomolets (in Russian). Moscow. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  21. "Belarusian Coordination Council member Maria Kolesnikova detained at the border". TASS. 8 September 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  22. Harding, Luke (2020-09-08). "Belarus opposition leader 'ripped up passport at Ukraine border'". The Guardian. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  23. 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]. RBC (in Russian). Moscow. Retrieved 2021-06-03.
  24. "Лукашенко попросил Киев вернуть двух белорусских оппозиционеров" [Lukashenko asked Kiev to return two Belarusian opposition activists]. Interfax (in Russian). 2020-09-08. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  25. "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]. Interfax (in Russian). Moscow. 2020-09-08. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  26. "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]. TASS (in Russian). Minsk. 2020-09-08. Retrieved 2020-06-07.
  27. "Belarus opposition leaders creating political party: video". Reuters. Moscow. 2020-08-31. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  28. Ivanova, Polina (2020-09-01). "Belarus opposition leaders to create new political party". The Independent. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  29. "Штаб Бабарико заявил о создании партии "Вместе"" [Babariko's headquarters announced the creation of the "Together" party]. TASS (in Russian). Minsk. 2021-03-29. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
  30. "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]. TASS (in Russian). Minsk. 2021-03-31. Retrieved 2021-11-23.
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