Viktor Golovanov (born 1952)

Viktor Golovanov
Віктар Галаванаў
Minister of Justice of Belarus
In office
1 October 2001 – 4 October 2011
PresidentAlexander Lukashenko
Preceded byGennady Vorontsov
Succeeded byOleg Slizhevsky
Personal details
Born (1952-12-15) 15 December 1952
Barysaw, Minsk region, Byelorussian SSR, Soviet Union
Alma materBelarusian State University

Viktor Grigoryevich Golovanov (Russian: Голованов Виктор Григорьевич; born 15 December 1952) is a lawyer who served as the Minister of Justice of Belarus from 2001 to 2011.

Early life and education

Viktor Golovanov was born on 15 December 1952, in Barysaw, Minsk region, to a military family.[1][2]

In 1979, he graduated with a law degree from Belarusian State University. In 1991, he obtained a political science degree from the Minsk Higher Party School, an educational institution that prepared communist party workers. Golovanov holds a PhD in law.[3]

Career

Early years, 1969–2001

Golovanov started his career as a metalworker at a factory in Bobruisk in 1969 and served in the Red Army from 1971 to 1973.[1]

Upon graduating from Belarusian State University in 1979, he briefly worked as a lawyer in Mogilev before switching to party work the next year.[1] He rose to the position of instructor at the Mogilev regional committee. In 1987, he chaired its legal department. The following year, he was promoted to the Central Party apparatus, working at the Central Committee and the Ministry of Justice of Belarus.[4][5]

From 1992, Golovanov worked as a deputy head of the Belarusian Patent Bureau. After practicing as a lawyer in Minsk from 1995 to 1996, he returned to the Ministry of Justice as a deputy minister. He then moved to the Presidential administration, where he served from 2000 to 2001.[5]

Minister of Justice, 2001–2011

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko appointed him Minister of Justice on 1 October 2001.[4]

During his tenure, Golovanov closed the human rights center Viasna and threatened to do the same with the independent pollster IISEPI.[6][7] He lobbied the Belarusian parliament to pass legislation that would make the closure of civil organizations easier, and he passed a decree prohibiting the activity of unregistered organizations.[8][9] On the other hand, he supported the creation of state-backed civil society institutions.[10]

In 2009, Golovanov considered easing some restrictions to improve relations with the EU.[11][12] Prior to the 2010 elections, he urged people not to participate in protests and threatened to ban parties that supported anti-Lukashenko rallies.[13][14] Responding to critics, Golovanov said that he just followed the law and did not have the goal to specifically close any NGO.[15] During his ten years, no new political parties were registered.[16]

Commenting on the Union State with Russia, Golovanov said that it cannot trample the Belarusian Constitution, but at the same time Russians shouldn't feel like foreigners in Belarus.[17][18] In 2009, the Ministry of Justice initiated a campaign to urge Russians to change the naming of the country from "Byelorussia" to "Belarus"; similar complaints were put forward towards Lithuania.[19] In 2010, he initiated a court case against Russia in the CIS economic court over tariffs.[20] Following presidential elections in the same year, Russia urged Belarus to take it back, which Belarus did.[21][22]

Golovanov supported a ban on the public display of fascist symbols and lobbied for legislation to protect Belarusians living abroad.[23][24] He supported the death penalty on the grounds that it was backed by public opinion.[25] Prior to his dismissal, he wanted to make changes to the law regulating Belarusian lawyers, which the lawyers opposed.[26] Golovanov said that during his tenure, it became easier to conduct business in Belarus[27] and that courts started to consider cases faster, exceeding time limits in only 2% of all cases, a drop from 20% previously.[28]

In 2007, Golovanov was appointed head of the Belarusian Table Tennis Federation.[29] It is unclear when he was dismissed.

Dismissal and later years, 2011–

Golovanov was dismissed on 4 October 2011, without cause being officially stated.[30] The opposition newspaper Nasha Niva claimed the dismissal was related to corruption.[31] After that, he became a rector at the private Belarusian Institute of Law.[2]

Sanctions

In 2005, Golovanov was barred entrance into Poland for the repression against Union of Poles of Belarus.[32] Following the 2006 Belarusian presidential election, Golovanov was sanctioned by the EU and the US.[33][34] The EU lifted sanctions in 2008, reintroduced them in 2011, and lifted them again in 2015.[35][36] US President Donald Trump reaffirmed the sanctions in 2025.[37]

Personal life

Golovanov is married and has two children.[1]

Awards

  • Medal "For Labor Merits" (Belarus)[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Голованов Виктор Григорьевич" [Golovanov Viktor Grigoryevich]. Belarus Today (in Russian). 4 February 2009. Archived from the original on 14 September 2025.
  2. ^ a b "COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 765/2006 of 18 May 2006 concerning restrictive measures in respect of Belarus". Council of the European Union. 30 October 2015. Archived from the original on 14 September 2025.
  3. ^ "Голованов Виктор Григорьевич" [Golovanov Viktor Grigoryevich]. Знаменитые люди Гомельщины. 11 July 2018. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020.
  4. ^ a b c "Кто есть кто в Республике Беларусь. Голованов Виктор Григорьевич" [Who is who in Belarus. Golovanov Viktor Grigoryevich] (in Russian). Belorusskaya Delovaya Gazeta. Archived from the original on 8 December 2012.
  5. ^ a b Balashenko, S. A., ed. (2007). Белорусская юридическая энциклопедия : в 4 т. Т. 1 ["Belarusian Legal Encyclopedia: in 4 volumes. Vol. 1] (PDF) (in Russian). p. 296. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Законным і дэмакратычным" назваў закрыцьцё цэнтру "Вясна" і некаторых іншых праваабарончых арганізацыяў міністар юстыцыі В.Галаванаў" ["Legal and democratic" was how Minister of Justice V. Golovanov described the closure of the "Viasna" Center and some other human rights organizations]. RFE/RL (in Belarusian). 3 December 2003.
  7. ^ "Алег Манаеў пра ператрус у кватэры: "Вайна ўлады са структурамі грамадзянскай супольнасьці набывае агрэсіўныя рысы"" [Oleg Manaev on the apartment search: 'The government's war on civil society is taking on aggressive characteristics]. RFE/RL (in Belarusian). 14 December 2004.
  8. ^ "Урад прапанаваў папраўкі да законаў "Аб грамадзянскіх аб'яднаньнях" і "Аб палітычных партыях" [The government proposed amendments to the laws 'On Civic Associations' and 'On Political Parties]. RFE/RL (in Belarusian). 30 June 2004.
  9. ^ "Ці выканаюць незарэгістраваныя арганізацыі загад Мінюста?" [Will unregistered organizations comply with the Ministry of Justice's order?]. RFE/RL (in Belarusian). 12 October 2005.
  10. ^ "ДОСААФ, ОСВОД, "Динамо". Что далее?" [DOSAAF, OSVOD, 'Dynamo'. What's next?]. Belarus Today (in Russian). 16 May 2006.
  11. ^ "Ці адменяць Артыкул 193-1 да паседжаньня Рады Эўразьвязу?" [Will they repeal Article 193-1 before the session of the Council of the European Union?]. RFE/RL (in Belarusian). 9 October 2009.
  12. ^ "Минск думает об отмене наказания диссидентам" [Minsk is considering repealing punishment for dissidents]. United Democratic Forces of Belarus (in Russian). 5 November 2009.
  13. ^ "Минюст рассказал о сторонниках своего заявления" [The Ministry of Justice spoke about the supporters of its statement]. United Democratic Forces of Belarus (in Russian). 16 December 2010.
  14. ^ "В Беларуси прикроют все оппозиционные партии?" [Will all opposition parties be shut down in Belarus?]. United Democratic Forces of Belarus (in Russian). 21 December 2010.
  15. ^ "Міністар юстыцыі заявіў, што няма загаду закрываць грамадзкія арганізацыі" [The Minister of Justice stated that there is no order to close public organizations]. RFE/RL (in Belarusian). 16 October 2003.
  16. ^ "Минюст предложил запретить должникам покупать машины и кататься на катере" [The Ministry of Justice proposed to prohibit debtors from buying cars and using boats]. Euroradio. 27 January 2010.
  17. ^ "Аляксандар Лукашэнка: якім будзе Канстытуцыйны акт Саюзнай дзяржавы — будуць вырашаць юрысты" [Alexander Lukashenko: 'Lawyers will decide what the Constitutional Act of the Union State will be]. RFE/RL. 21 May 2002.
  18. ^ "Союз прав в Cоюзном государстве" [The Union is right in the Union State]. Belarus Today (in Russian). 14 June 2007.
  19. ^ "Минюст: Россия, Литва, кто следующий?" [Ministry of Justice: Russia, Lithuania, who is next?]. Euroradio (in Russian). 1 December 2009.
  20. ^ "Эканамічны суд. "Каб слова „замірэньне" тут не гучала"" [Economic Court. 'So that the word "reconciliation" is not heard here]. RFE/RL (in Belarusian). 7 September 2010.
  21. ^ "МЗС Расеі прапануе Беларусі адклікаць пазоў з Эканамічнага суду СНД" [Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposes that Belarus withdraw its lawsuit from the CIS Economic Court]. RFE/RL (in Belarusian). 19 January 2011.
  22. ^ "Беларусь адклікала нафтавы пазоў да Расеі" [Belarus withdrew its oil lawsuit against Russia]. RFE/RL (in Belarusian). 20 April 2011.
  23. ^ "Запрет на использование фашистской символики появится в Административном кодексе" [A ban on the use of fascist symbols will be included in the Administrative Code]. Belarus Today (in Russian). 28 May 2008.
  24. ^ "Проект закона о соотечественниках предусматривает льготы для этнических белорусов" [The draft law on compatriots provides benefits for ethnic Belarusians]. Belarus Today (in Russian). 17 February 2009.
  25. ^ "Міністар Галаванаў лічыць барацьбу за адмену сьмяротнай кары «моднай»" [Minister Golovanov considers the fight for the abolition of the death penalty to be 'fashionable]. RFE/RL (in Belarusian). 21 October 2010.
  26. ^ "Белорусскую адвокатуру сломали?" [Has the Belarusian legal profession been broken?]. United Democratic Forces of Belarus. 25 February 2011.
  27. ^ "В Беларуси создан правовой комфорт для инвестиций и бизнеса…" [In Belarus, a favorable legal environment for investments and business has been created…]. Belarus Today (in Russian). 27 February 2008.
  28. ^ "У каждого решения должно быть профессиональное исполнение" [Every decision must have a professional execution]. Belarus Today (in Russian). 18 September 2008.
  29. ^ "Натальля Пяткевіч будзе кіраваць горнымі лыжамі" [Natalya Petkevich will lead the alpine skiing]. RFE/RL (in Belarusian). 15 August 2007.
  30. ^ "Уволен министр юстиции" [The Minister of Justice has been dismissed]. gazetaby (in Russian). 5 October 2011. Archived from the original on 14 September 2025.
  31. ^ "Свідравіна на дачы міністра юстыцыі Галаванава каштавала яму пасады" [The well at Justice Minister Halavanau's dacha cost him his job]. Nasha Niva (in Belarusian). 5 October 2011. Archived from the original on 16 April 2025.
  32. ^ "Палітыкі, спартоўцы і журналісты камэнтуюць захады польскага Сэйму" [Politicians, athletes, and journalists are commenting on the actions of the Polish Sejm]. RFE/RL (in Belarusian). 23 May 2005. Archived from the original on 21 May 2025.
  33. ^ "Viktar Hryhoryavich HALAVANAU". opensanctions.org. Retrieved 14 September 2025.
  34. ^ "COUNCIL REGULATION (EC) No 765/2006 of 18 May 2006 concerning restrictive measures against President Lukashenko and certain officials of Belarus". Council of the European Union. 18 May 2006. Archived from the original on 14 September 2025.
  35. ^ "Лукашэнка адправіў ў адстаўку міністра юстыцыі Галаванава" [Lukashenko dismissed Minister of Justice Golovanov]. RFE/RL (in Belarusian). 4 October 2011. Archived from the original on 3 July 2025.
  36. ^ "COUNCIL REGULATION (EU) 2015/1948 of 29 October 2015 amending Regulation (EC) No 765/2006 concerning restrictive measures in respect of Belarus". Council of the European Union. 29 October 2015. Archived from the original on 14 September 2025.
  37. ^ "Трамп падоўжыў рэжым надзвычайнай сытуацыі ў дачыненьні да Беларусі" [Trump extended the state of emergency with respect to Belarus]. RFE/RL (in Belarusian). 12 June 2025. Archived from the original on 27 August 2025.
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