Details of recent searches in Belarus
KGB and police continue searching the apartments of
civil and political activists within the framework of a criminal case upon
Article 293, 'mass riot', concerning the protest rally of 19 December.
Babruisk
Four people in civvies searched the apartment of an activist of the civil
campaign Speak Truth and a coordinator of the electoral team of the
presidential candidate Uladzimir Niakliayeu in Babruisk, Natallia Miadzvedzeva
for about two hours. They confiscated from her 16 blanks of members of the
electoral team, several notebooks and CDs and the book Aliaksandr
Lukashenka. Political Portrait by Karbalevich. Before this, she had been
twice summonsed for interrogations concerning this case.
Minsk
The search at the office of the Trade Union of Radio Electronic Industry
ended after 6 p.m. on 14 January in Minsk. It lasted for more than five hours.
The reason for the search was that KGB had been allegedly informed that the
electoral headquarters of the presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau had been
allegedly located there, which is rejected by members of the trade union. As a
result of the search KGB officers took away computer equipment and hard drives.
The head of the trade union Henadz Fiadynich says that the KGB officers behaved
correctly and there weren't significant violations during the search. However,
the confiscation of the computer equipment will complicate the activities of
the trade union. Trade union activists are going to appeal the legality of this
action.
Mahiliou
According to information of a human rights defender Barys Bukhel, the
apartment of a civil activist Dzmitry Salauyou was searched on 15 January. KGB
officers brought their own witnesses for the search. The search was conducted
in the absence of Mr. Salauyou, in presence of his wife.
On 12 January Mr. Salauyou had been summonsed to KGB, where he was issued with
a warning for laying down flowers to memorial signs in Mahiliou on 25 March and
26 April 2010.
Homel
KGB officers searched the office of the regional organization of the For
Freedom movement where the editorial office of the Internet newspaper Silnye
Novosti is situated. Two system blocks, flash drives, DVDs and other
information carriers were confiscated as a result.
As said by a regional coordinator of the For Freedom movement Piatro
Salauyou, the search warrant was presented by the senior police operative
Andrei Melnikau.
Before this Kuzniatsou's car was stopped by traffic police on the way to
Rechytsa. More than 5,000 leaflets I Know! concerning the events of 19
December were confiscated. The trial for 'distribution of printed materials
without imprint' was scheduled for 18 December in the Rechytsa District Court.
Rechytsa
On 14 January KGB officers searched the private hours of Aleh Shabetnik, a
coordinator of the electoral team of the presidential candidate Uladzimir
Niakliayeu. They confiscated from him a book of poetry by Niakliayeu, the
brochure A.L. vs. A.L. by Anatol Liabedzka and an aid to entrepreneurs
who undergo financial check-ups.
