Oppositionists are searched and arrested all over Belarus in connection with blast at the official Independence Day

These days Belarus is covered by a wave of searches, arrests and summons to the police. Public activists are interrogated in connection with the blast which had taken place in Minsk on 4 July in the morning, at the concert which was dedicated to the official Independence Day. 

In the morning of 8 July in Minsk the KGB officers searched the apartment of Nina Shydlouskaya, deputy head of the World Association of Belarusians Backawscyna (Fatherland). The search was started in the absence of the owners of the apartment. A computer, some documents and notebooks were confiscated from the apartment. All these items belonged to Shydlouskaya’s husband, Miraslau Lazouski, who was detained later. Till late in the evening Lazouski was detained at the KGB office for Minsk and Minsk oblast. Then he was guarded to the investigative committee of the main police bureau of Minsk city executive committee.

Besides, the police searched the apartment of Ihar Korsak was searched. The police confiscated from him a packet with screws and bolts and rubber gloves, the things that anyone can have in the household. Korsak was arrested as well. According to Nina Shydlouskaya, bother Korsak and Lazouski used to be members of the Belarusian Association of military personnel, but stopped any activities after the organization was liquidated by the Ministry of Justice.

Late in the evening on Monday 7 five public activists from the town of Salihorsk, Ryhor Astapenia, Khrystsina Samoilava, Illia Shyla, Ivan Shyla and Aliaksei Valabuyeu received telephone calls from the senior police lieutenant Salavei, who insistently invited them to the police station for giving written explanations concerning their whereabouts on 3-4 July. By the way, at that time the activists were either in Salihorsk or abroad, not in Minsk.

According to the press-service of the For Freedom movement, the police also searched the apartment of Pinsk activist Pavel Liakhnovich in connection with the criminal case which was brought in connection with the blast. Gunpowder was confiscated from the activist, who is an amateur hunter.

On Sunday, 6 July, the police of Cherykau and Klimavichy interrogated the local journalists Siamion Panizoutsau and Siarhei Arzhantsau concerning the blast. During the interrogation of Mikalai Ulasevich, Iuye activist of the United Civil Party, the police inspector also asked him about the blast.

On 7 July Siarzhuk Chyslau was arrested and guarded to the pre-trial prison in Akrestsin Street. He is suspected in organization of the blast. On 8 July KGB officers searched the summer residence of his mother, Hanna Chyslava. They also searched the apartment of Siarzhuk’s sister Natallia and confiscated an empty packet from jam and a half-empty tin with lacquer. According to Hanna Chyslava, more than a year ago her son went to Moscow and was running a business there. She did not know that he was in Minsk during the holidays.

According to Nasha Niva, Homel coordinator of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Kastus Zhukouski received a summons for 8 July from Tsentralny district police department of Minsk. There it was written that he would be interrogated concerning the 4 July blast.  

On 8 July the leader of Niasvizh Young Front organization Nasta Azarka was summonsed to the local KGB department for a ‘conversation’ concerning the blast in Minsk. The KGB officers asked whether Nasta knew any circumstances of the blast, where she was in the night of 3-4 July and showed to her the photo model of the possible organizer of the terrorist act. On 9 July several Young Front activists from Homel and Salihorsk were also interrogated concerning the blast.

In the evening of 8 July an activist from Minsk Tatsiana Pikun, was detained as a ‘witness’ in connection with the blast. She is still kept in the pre-trial prison in Sapiorau Street in Minsk.

On 9 July the public activist from Mahiliou Zmitser Salauyou was summonsed to a ‘conversation’ as a witness in the criminal case which had been brought on the fact of the blast.