Milinkevich's office searched

On November 18 property was distrained in the headquarters of Aliaksandar Milinkevich, the leader of the movement “For Freedom”. Officers of the court distrained everything: computers, office equipment, furniture and even things presented to the politician. Answering protests of oppositionists, officers of the court called in policemen. In fact a search is taking place in the headquarters. Leaders of “For Freedom” movement link this fact with “continuation of repressions against oppositionists in Belarus”.

The apartment in Independence Avenue where activists of the movement gather informally, is rented by the deputy leader of the movement Aliaksei Kavalets. As the politician said in an interview to the Charter’97 press-centre, officers of the court stated that a person whose property should be distrained lived in the apartment rented by him.

“The matter concerns the son of the owner of the apartment. But that person does not have any connection with the apartment for 10 years! Officers of the court refused to speak to the owner of the apartment. Despite of the fact that I showed the rent contract to them, they stated that they would seize our property if we wouldn’t confirm that every thing belongs to us. But we didn’t keep receipts after buying each compute, table or chair!” Kavalets said.

As said by the politician, officers of the court even distrained long case old clock, a present to Milinkevich. Policemen who had been called in by officers of the court observed the process. If there were 2 policemen in the beginning, their number grew to 6 finally.

The search ended only in the evening. “Everything has been distrained. I signed a document that I accept my own property for storage, and that I do not have a right to take it out somewhere or sell. I have a right to go to law against actions of court officers. We shall certainly do that, but I understand that we do not have independent court, and we have nowhere to complain,” the politician said.

“It is obvious an order has been made to “pressurize” us. I do not know who had done that, law enforcers or “pro-European” officials. But it is clear that repressions against oppositionists in Belarus continue,” A. Kavalets said.

Leader of the “For Freedom” Aliaksandar Milinkevich commented on search in his office to the Charter’97 press center:

“My evaluation is simple. It is a struggle in the authorities between those who want changes and those who stand against them. It is a great struggle in the authorities. This is a serious provocation, organised by those who don’t want normalizing of the relations between Belarus and Europe, those who don’t want democratization of political life of the country and economic liberalization,” the politician noted.