Belarusian student from Estonia on holidays hunted by policemen

Homel-based young activist Ihar Slucak, who studies in Estonia, during his holidays in Belarus faces pressure of the authorities.

As informed by Radio Svaboda, Ihar Sluchak is set to participate in local elections in spring.

On January 18 in the evening the student of Tartu University Ihar Sluchak received a phone call from a lieutenant of the first city police department Illya Kruk. As said by Ihar Sluchak, the policeman was swaying him to come, but flatly refused to invite him by summons. A call from the police department was made after the statement by Sluchak about actions of policemen or internal troops during one of hockey games in Homel.

The young activist refused to talk without receiving a summons. In 5 minutes the head of the internal affairs department of Central district of Homel, major Shyshkou, and demanded Sluchak to arrive to the police department without a summons on January 19 at 10 a.m., and stated that Sluchak had made a mistake by sending his appeal. He also threatened to initiate a case for disobedience to demands of a policeman.

Ihar Sluchak refused to visit them without summons, despite of the words of the policeman: “You will come to us anyway”.

Earlier Sluchak suffered from persecution already; that is why he had to continue his education in Estonia. He does not stop political activities not only in Estonia, where he is studying now, but also in Belarus, as he plans to run in the election to Homel city council in spring this year.

“Possibly it is the beginning of the electoral campaign in Belarus, with its attempts to intimidate independent candidates as it happened during the recent elections,” Ihar Sluchak said.