THE PROOF
CASE HISTORY
FAMILY PHOTOS
LUKASHENKO HUMOR PAGE
STATEMENTS OF DIMA'S WIFE
INTERVIEW OF DIMA'S MOM
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My husband, Dmitry Zavadsky, the operator of Public Russian TV working in Byelorussia disappeared on July, 7, 2000; In the Morning of this day he had gone to the airport to meet friend and colleague, journalist Pavel Sheremet who was arriving from Moscow. They never met. After arriving at the airport, Dima completely vanished. After reporting the missing person to law enforcement bodies, a criminal case was opened to investigate deliberate murder.
The police began to interrogate all friends and relatives, including myself for many hours. They suspected all - Dima's mother, Olga and myself included. All this was awful. I was literally forced to sign a contract about nondisclosure of the secret investigation, which hindered journalists' ability to report on the story. What was most strange was that upon signing the contract about nondisclosure was that after five months passed, the investigative bodies ceased to recognize an investigation. All attempts to receive any information were ineffectual. For these five months assurances from various high-ranking officials repeatedly sounded, that the investigation in the near future will be opened, and Dima will be found. But time goes, and nothing varies. I am close to despair. It would be very desirable to hope, that an angel will save Dima and us from this most terrible thing.
"Rescue and keep" - with these words I have tried to fall asleep for five months, and with the same words I meet each new day, believing in God and human. It is terrible for me to think that, perhaps months and years will pass and; I and my son will not learn what has actually taken place. How in broad daylight on a protected place, with the eyes of the people can a person completely be gone?
In 1997 my husband together with Pavel Sheremet  were condemned by authorities for the reporting on border. In effect, they condemned him for professional work and honest reporting. I hope, that this is not a continuation of that inconceivable history when people and journalists were condemned only for speaking the truth. Recently I have addressed to Alexander Lukashenko and V.V.Putin, but yet has not received the answer. The Hope for authorities is very small. Therefore I address to world community for the help in search of my husband.
On July 25, 2001, a press conference with wives of the repressed and those who had disappeared took place at the Belarusian Federation of Trade Unions. Liudmila Karpienka, Tatsiana Lieanovich (Klimava), Iryna Krasovskaia and Sviatlana Zavadskya took part in it.
At the press conference Svetlana Zavadskya (wife of the ORT cameraman Dmitri Zavadsky who disappeared on July 7, 2000) commented on the appearance of the new documents concerning Zavadsky case in the independent press: "Its very good that these documents have been published, because it's very difficult to speak if you have no documents. To struggle somehow I know that there are much more documents on the case, and we are looking forward to see the main moments, that are still missing in the documents published. These documents are my life: it depends on them whether I will find out the truth or won't know anything!"
A journalist asked a question: "What are you most afraid of?" Svetlana Zavadskya answered: ";Naturally, most of all I am afraid that something may happen to my child. Nevertheless, I had to choose fear out of fear and obscurity, because I want to know the truth. I am ready to fear, but I want to know the truth. I do not want to whisper all the time. Even my lawyer whispers now when he wants to tell me something. I can't even have a normal talk with my lawyer. It's terrible and I want people to know this. I don't want them to think that life in Belarus is so simple."
Iryna Krasovskya (wife of Anatoly Krasovsky, who had disappeared together with Victar Ganchar on September 16, 1999) gave the following answer to the same question: "I am afraid that this situation of wildness and absurd, which now exists in our country, will go on without changes. It's the most terrible thing, as people will get used to deaths, threats and fear. In such a country and in such a situation there are no hopes and perspectives."
Prepared by Palina Stsiepanienka
