Customs and border officials evade responsibility for search

Andrei Dumski, head of the border control department of the State Border Committee, refused to disclose the reasons for an incident that happened back in December, when Vasil Paliakou, deputy chairman of the United Civil Party, who was ordered to undress and take off his shoes during a search at the border crossing. In response to a similar letter, Deputy Chairman of the Customs Committee Siarhei Barysiuk advised the politician to seek answers to his questions in court.

Andrei Dumski wrote that “the information you are interested in relates to issues of restricted access on the basis of the Law on Information, Informatization and Protection of Information; in this regard, it is not possible to answer the questions you are interested in”. Siarhei Barysiuk in turn said that the actions of customs officials were lawful.

Vasil Paliakou is not satisfied with the letters, as he has not received substantive responses to the questions posed, and intends to go to court. “They answer that the information that interests me is restricted, although Article 34 of the Constitution does not allow the existence of classified information affecting the rights and legitimate interests of citizens. Access to information may only be limited in order to protect the full enjoyment by citizens of their rights,” said the politician.

During the search in December 2014, Vasil Paliakou was ordered to undress and take off his shoes.