Babruisk: procuracy refutes existence of “black lists”

In January Anatol Sanatsenka, chief editor of the private socio-political newspaper “Babruiski Kur’yer”, filed an appeal with the procuracy, in which he asked to explain the frequent visits of the police to local civil activists and the existence of the so-called “black list” of activists and journalists. He also stated that police officers posed threats to him in connection with his refusal to be fingerprinted.

In the evening of 8 February Mr. Sanatsenka as received an answer, signed by the prosecutor of the Leninski district of Babruisk, Artur Karapetsian. There it is stated that no “prophylactic check-ups” had been conducted towards Mr. Sanatsenka and there were no black lists. However, he told the activist that he was to undergo the obligatory finger-printing.

This answer wasn’t a surprise the activist. “In fact, such lists really exist. The people saw surnames of journalists and civil activists there,” argues Anatol Sanatsenka. “This is confirmed by the frequent visits of the police to certain apartments. I am not going to give up and will appeal the prosecutor’s answer at the Mahiliou Regional Procuracy.”