Brest: human rights activists and their families are questioned concerning 4 July blast

11.09.2008. Tags: Brest, human rights defenders, elections-2008.

On 8 September officers of Brest police phoned to the human rights activists Raman Kisliak, Uladzimir Vialichkin and Mikhail Illin (Vialichkin’s son). The policemen asked where the people had been on 3-4 July and who could confirm it.

Bear in mind that the same day a similar call was received by an activist of the United Civil Party Yury Panasiuk. After this he was assaulted by unidentified persons in civvies.

Uladzimir Vialichkin believes that in such a way the authorities want to create the atmosphere of fear and tension in the society in order to decrease the opposition’s activities on the eve of the parliamentary elections.

On 11 September Uladzimir Vialichkin was called to Maskouski district police department of Brest by an official writ. There he was questioned concerning the blast that had taken place in Minsk in the morning of 4 July. During the questioning the police officer A.Yu.Bialiatski put down Vialichkin’s personal data, the number and the color of his car and also wrote that Vialichkin was a member of the Belarusian Popular Front Party. Then the human rights activist was fingerprinted. Vialichkin said that on 3 July he was at work in his office all day long.

When Vialichkin asked why he was questioned, the police officers answered that they were ordered to question students and graduates of chemical and biological faculties of high and the courses of shot-firers and military servants.

Human rights activists for free elections

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