Rights defender to demand criminal proceedings against KGB officers who broke his computer

Human rights defender Aleh Volchak told BelaPAN on Monday that he would ask the Investigation Committee of Belarus to institute criminal proceedings against the KGB officers who had broken his computer.

The officers seized Mr. Volchak's computer on December 25, 2010 while searching his home in connection with a criminal investigation into a post-election protest staged in Minsk on December 19. The computer was returned to him broken at the beginning of summer. Mr. Volchak subsequently lodged a complaint with Uladzimir Kalach, head of the KGB office for Minsk and the Minsk region.

In early January, experts examined the computer and concluded that its motherboard had been damaged beyond repair, and that data had been deliberately erased from its two hard drives.
Mr. Volchak said that he would complain to the Investigation Committee after receiving a reply from Mr. Kalach.