Homiel human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka questioned as a witness in a criminal case regarding distribution of pornography

Today, April 15, Chairman of the Homiel Branch of the NGO "Legal Initiative" Leanid Sudalenka has been interrogated as a witness at the Homiel city department of the Investigation Committee in connection with a criminal case, brought under part 2 of article 343 of the Criminal Code (distribution of pornographic materials via the Internet) in connection with the alleged sending of pornographic videos from the mailbox, belonging to the human rights activist (sudalenko@mail.ru).

As it was found during the interrogation, pornographic videos had been allegedly sent from the mailbox sudalenko@mail.ru and the IP-address registered at the social and political center in Palieskaja Street, 52 in Homiel to the Saviecki District Tax Inspection of Homiel and the Homiel Regional Department of the Investigation Committee.

The human rights activist testified and presented to investigator Sviatlana Katsuba some evidence that he hadn't been involved this this crime. In particular, he showed her screenshots of his correspondence with the technical service of the mail service mail.ru that this e-mail address had been hacked in December 2014 and was no longer controlled by him.

According to the investigator, the case will soon be forwarded to the Homiel Regional Department of the Investigation Committee. Let us remind that on April 8 a search was held at the socio-political center in Palieskaja Street, 52 and in the apartment of Mr. Sudalenka. As a result, the system units of four computers were taken away, allegedly for an examination. The search in the apartment of Mr. Sudalenka took place while he was away at a human rights conference in Sweden.

The police explained that some pornography had allegedly been sent from the e-mail addresssudalenko@mail.ru and the IP-address belonging to the socio-political center in Palieskaja Street, 52. The human rights activist didn't use this e-mail address after it had been hacked. Many public events, seminars and meetings are held at the socio-political center. Many people know the password from the Wi-Fi, which also used to be written at the blackboard for a long time. That's why somebody could use that Wi-Fi connection even outside the building. Mr. Sudalenka states that this criminal case is a brutal provocation. He reminds that a month ago he demanded that the Homiel Regional Department of the Investigation Committee find the IP and the persons who were publishing insults addressed to him and threatened to kill his children. However, the police failed to do it. The prosecutor's office demanded that these persons be found, but the second reply was negative as well.

It's worth reminding that computer equipment has been repeatedly seized from the socio-political center in Palieskaja, 52 under various pretexts in 2001, 2007 and 2011. This was done during political campaigns, such as presidential elections.