Paval Seviarynets, Co-Chairman of the Belarusian Christian Democracy
Paval Seviarynets was born in the city of Orsha on December 30, 1976 to the family of journalist Konstantyn Seviarynts and teacher Seviarynets Tatsiana. In 1993, he graduated from school № 25 in Vytebsk and in 2000 from the Geographical faculty of BNU, as a professional Engineer – Geologist. His major was in exploring for minerals.
From 1994 to 1999 he worked as a reporter for many state and private publications. Since 1998 he has been the publicist for the Independent Press.
In October 1995, Paval joined “BNF Adradzhen’ne”. In February 1997 he led the Minsk youth faction of BNF and in September 1997 he was elected as Co-Chairman of Young Front.
On April 2, 1998 he was arrested during the opposition manifestation in Minsk for protesting the union of Russia and Belarus. He was arrested and detained on Volodarskogo Street. After two months of pressure by the Belarusian and International Organizations, he was released and sent to detention in Vytebsk. Criminal proceedings against him were dropped in November 1998 without any explanations or apologies.
Paval also participated in and organized peaceful mass street protests of youth in Belarus. From 1997 to 2004, he was detained by the police and KGB over 40 times. On the whole, he spent more than 7 months under arrest and received $3500 in fines.
Paval is the founder of educative project “Belarusian Show” and “DJ-Adradzenne”; Initiator of the coalition of Belarusian Democratic Youth Organizations “Changes!”, and also the group of different factions “Christian initiative”. From 1999 to 2003 he was the Vice-Chairman of the BNF Party. From 1999 to 2004, he was the leader of Young Front.
Paval Seviarynets is one of the organizers of the 1st Congress of Belarusian Young People (July 2001); the defense of Kurapaty (September 2001 – June 2002); The National campaign “Belarus in Europe!” (Spring 2002) and the election block “Young Belarus” (2004).
In 2005 he was found guilty of organizing protests against the third term of Lukashenka, which took place in Minsk after the referendum in October 2004. Sentenced to 3 years imprisonment (so-called “chemistry”), but taking into account the amnesty, the prison term has been changed to 2 years. Paval was serving his sentence at the timber mill in the village of Maloje Sitna which is in Northern Belarus (Polatskyy District).
Member of Belarusian PEN – center.
Author of books: “DJ-Adradzhen’nya (1998)”; “Generation of Young Front” (2002); “National idea” (2005), “To Brother”, “Letters from forest”, “Love Belarus”.
Christian.
