KGB interrogates victims of RNE-threats

Yan Taupyha, member of the council of the Christian Democratic Party of the Belarusian Popular Front, and party member Yan Dziarzhautsau, were called to the region KGB office. Six month ago they received threatening letters from the Vitsebsk office of the underground pro-Russian neo-Nazi organization Russian National Unity (RNE).

On 20 May the KGB instituted a criminal case on the facts of threatening letters from the RNE. Not the people, who received similar letters in 2006-2007, are called for interrogation, RFE/RL reports.

Uladzimer Bazan, chief editor of the non-state bulletin Kuryier z Vitsebska, Alena Zaleskaya former head of the city United Civil Party office, and human rights activist Leanid Svetsik have already given testimony on the case. The latter was called for interrogation after 9-hour search, during which KGB officers seized office equipment, printed materials and even blank paper.

Leanid Svetsik consulted the people, who had received letters from the RNE, helped to make claims to the prosecutor’s office for the certain agencies to find the authors of the threatening letters. However, the criminal case on ‘incitement of ethnic and religious hatred’ was instituted only now, two years after Vitsebsk public activist Alena Zaleskaya had received a letter from the RNE.

The interrogated people do not say the details about KGB questions on the case because they have pledged to secrecy.