Brest: attempt to kidnap an activist of the United Civil Party

In the evening on 8 September an attempt to kidnap Yury Panasyuk, an activist of the Young Democrats (youth organization of the United Civil Party), was committed in Brest.

It happened near Piaty Element shop, where the oppositionist works. Panasiuk was going home after his work shift, when some men came up to him and asked to go with them without giving reasons. By-passers were witnesses of this scene that was outside plans of the ‘people in civvies’. Moreover, Panasiuk began to shout for help. The strangers left Yury alone, the UCP press service informs.

But only for a short time, as it was found out. A Zhiguli car was waiting for the activist in the yard of the house where he lives. As soon as Yury came up to the house entrance, the ‘people in civvies’ surrounded him. He was knocked on his head and handcuffed. Panasouk understood what organization the strangers belonged to after they asked him questions about Minsk blast on 4 July.

The ‘questioning’ lasted for 10 minutes and then Yury was set free.

‘Our colleague has cuffs marks on his wrists’, Uladzimir Vuyek, head of Brest oblast organization the Young Democrats, told to the UCP press service. ‘We view this fact of force actions against Yury Panasiuk as an attempt of intimidation of our organization activists involved in the election campaign.’

Panasiuk is preparing an appeal to the regional prosecutor’s office on the fact of unlawful actions of secret service officers.