"We need to check how well Viasna works." A former observer of the 2020 elections spoke about his detention by the KGB
Last week, employees of the State Security Committee (KGB) conducted numerous searches and inspections of former independent observers of the 2020 presidential elections. On Monday, December 11, 23-year-old Artsiom Kananovich from Minsk was also visited at the place of his registration. He observed the presidential elections on behalf of the Belarusian Language Society, but KGB officers were interested in his connection with the Viasna human rights center. Artsiom told us about it.
- Artsiom Kananovich. Photo provided by the activist
Human rights activists reported that former observers had their phones checked and warned of criminal liability for "facilitating extremist activities." The law enforcement officers also recorded "penitential" videos with them.
Artsiom Kananovich was detained by the employees of the KGB central office on Monday, December 11, when he came to visit his mother.
"It happened at lunchtime. Two plainclothes men came to us; they were KGB operatives. They said they needed to conduct a search as part of a criminal case on "facilitating extremist activities" (Articles 361-4 of the Criminal Code).
They came for my phone and computer, and I gave away my main devices because I was stress out. Immediately, they started looking through my photos on the laptop and asking if I had participated in "unauthorized mass events." It seemed to me that I had deleted everything, but no: some photos from the protests remained. During the search, they said that my name was allegedly on the new lists of Viasna for observation in the new elections. And this is the reason why the KGB is checking me."
Since 2016, Artsiom has been engaged in activism: he participated in various conferences, debates, the Association of Belarusian Students program, etc. In 2020, the Minsk resident gave away white solidarity bracelets. During the presidential elections, the Minsk resident observed the early voting, nominated by the Belarusian Language Association. But right before the elections on August 8, he was detained in the center of Minsk and arrested for seven days.
The investigator in the case was Dzianis Aziauchykau. In the central building of the KGB, Artsiom was interrogated by the officer who conducted the search, and the interrogation report was drawn up by another person.
"It was the end of the working day. They said that if I was friendly with them, I would go home. They also showed me an article of the Criminal Code and said that I could go to prison for two to six years if I didn't talk to them. They offered me coffee and sweets, but at the same time they tried to get as much information out of me as possible. They asked me how I was connected with Viasna and with observation. They told me that Viasna had received a new grant, and the KGB needed to check whether human rights defenders really worked, whether they used the old lists of observers. Ostensibly, they have information about new financing and they need to check how well Viasna works.
Artsiom was also made to sign a non-disclosure agreement, and was also asked to write a paper stating that he supports the current government and will not participate in any "formations". After that, Artsiom was released. They kept the confiscated devices, but said that he could pick them up in a couple of days. Soon the man left Belarus.
