Minsk: KGB Workers Pressurize Student Iana Karpovich
Here’s the text of the complaint that has been submitted to the prosecutor’s office:
To Prosecutor General of the Republic of Belarus
Complaint against actions of workers of the State Security Committee (KGB) of Belarus
On 27 December 2006 I was invited for a talk to the dean’s office at the management faculty of the Belarusian State Economic University where I study. The dean, V.Simkhovich, said she needed to talk with me about filling some educational documents. When I came to the dean’s office, two unknown persons were invited to a talk. They introduced themselves as Ivan and Uladzimir and said I must guess which organization they represent. They started asking me about my detention by the police on 29 September 2006. On that day I was really detained by the police near Kastrychnitskaia Square in Minsk and taken to Minsk Tsentralny police department. However, they composed no reports and I didn’t receive any punishment. The KGB workers were interested in my public and political activity, namely in my participation in the election to local deputy soviets in the capacity of a member of the initiative group on nomination of Aleh Korban as a candidate to Minsk city deputy soviet. I am really a member of this initiative group that has been registered in conformity with the legislation by the appropriate election commission, and have a certificate of a member of the initiative group. Being a member of the initiative group I collected signatures for nomination of Aleh Korban as a candidate to a deputy seat. On 14 December A.Korban was registered as a candidate to Minsk city deputy soviet. The KGB workers asked me about my relations with A.Korban and threatened to punish me for activity on behalf of unregistered radical organization. They also asked about my personal trips abroad, participation in educational seminars, education in Poland on K.Kalinouski program, etc. One of the questions was about my possible collaboration with CIA. The dean V.Simkhovich was present all this time. Then the KGB workers asked her to leave the office for 15 minutes. When she did it they started to psychologically pressurize me and demand collaboration with them. They also explained that in the case I refused they would get me expelled from the university. They gave me two days to think it over and said not to tell anyone about this meeting. On 29 December 2006 they phoned to my mobile and appointed a meeting on 30 December 2006.
On 30 December 2006 I together with an acquaintance of mine Zmitser Kaspiarovich came to the main building of the Belarusian State Economic University where one of the KGB workers (the one who had introduced himself as Ivan) was waiting. Having seen that I was not alone he refused to talk to me. However, a bit later he phoned and told to come for a talk to the rector’s office. When I came there I saw both of the KGB workers with whom I had met at the dean’s office. They told to come with them to the rector’s office for deciding on my fate. Instead of it they took me to an empty auditorium. There they started threatening with expulsion from the university in the case I refused to cooperate with them. I refused and they went away, but promised not to leave my deed without consequences.
I am of the opinion that the actions of the KGB workers were of evidently lawless nature and violated my legal constitutional rights and the acting legislation of the Republic of Belarus.
For instance, in conformity with article #22 of the law of the Republic of Belarus About state security organs of the Republic of Belarus of 3 December 1997 state security organs can draw persons to collaboration for the purpose of state security only on their free consent. By these actions the KGB workers violated the main principles of activity of state security organs that are determined in articles 5 and 6 of this law.
The KGB workers also violated the law of the Republic of Belarus About operative search activities and norms of the Criminal Process Code of the Republic of Belarus by not showing their duty certificates and conducting an interrogation without legal reasons.
Besides, taking into consideration that I am a proxy of Aleh Korban as a candidate to Minsk city deputy soviet these actions of the KGB workers violated my electoral rights. The KGB workers tried to make me stop my legal participation in the election to local deputy soviets as a proxy of a candidate, that’s why I think they also violated article #5 of the Election Code of the Republic of Belarus. As stated in article #49 of the Election Code, duty officials who with the means of threats and intimidation interfere with realization of legal rights by citizens are to receive criminal punishment in conformity with the present legislation.
That’s why, being guided by Article #6 of the law of the Republic of Belarus About state security organs of the Republic of Belarus and the law of the Republic of Belarus About prosecutor’s office I ask to:
1. hold a prosecutorial check-up of the facts I have described;
2. bring a criminal case against the KGB workers who committed violations of my legal rights.
5 December 2007 Karpovich Iana Viktarauna
