Belarus's former interior minister Yury Zakharanka disappeared 9 years ago

Belarus's former interior minister Yury Zakharenka who later joined the opposition went missing on May 7, 1999. Human rights activists suggest that he was kidnapped for political reasons. On April 8, 2008 the Minsk City Prosecutor's Office again extended for three months the investigation of the criminal case om the disappearance of the former interior minister. Human rights lawyer Aleh Vouchak told Belapan news agency that such cases should be investigated for up to 25 years.

Young Democrats, a youth wing of the United Civic Party, has began collecting signatures in order to install a memorial sign to commemorate Yury Zakharanka.

Yury Zakharanka's family -- his wife, two daughters and granddaughters -- live in Germany where they received a status of political refugees.