The terms of investigation into the case against the human rights activity Mr. Malei has been prolonged to another six months
The deputy of Malaryta District Council and the member of the human rights center Viasna Uladzimir Malei received another notification from the Investigation Department of Internal Affairs Council of Brest Regional Executive Committee dated 06/07/2005 No.25/104, in which the investigator of the preliminary investigation into criminal cases of the Council of Internal Affairs of Brest Regional Executive Committee Police Lieutenant V.Yu.Harbatouskaya informs that that the term of investigation into the criminal case No. 05012160005 started on 2 February 2005 with respect to Deputy U.Malei by terms of article 188, part 2 of the Criminal Code of Belarus, was prolonged by the Procurator's Office of Brest Oblast to 6 months (until 2 September 2005).
We would like to remind you that the case concerns the distribution by deputy Malei of the news bulletin "Our Word" No.13, in which the deputy allegedly published deliberately untrue and disgraceful information about the actions of Mr.Lapich, the chair of Malaryta District Executive Committee.
This criminal case was initiated on 2 February 2005 by the procurator of Malaryta district, on 14 March the case was accepted for investigation by the senior investigator of the investigation department of Brest Regional Executive Committee Police Captain Masiuk, and on 2 May it was suspended because the actions by Mr.Malei did not constitute a crime.
But on 3 June 2005 the "suspect" Malei received a notification that on 31 May the preliminary investigation into the criminal case No. 05012160005 was resumed because the first deputy procurator had cancelled the earlier decision.
The chair of Brest Region Office of the Human Rights Center Viasna Uladzimir Vialichkin believes that before the Presidential elections in 2006 the incumbent authorities are trying in this way to remove the most active and influential representatives of the Belarusian opposition in Brest Region from the public life.