Brest police say arrest of trade union leader Chaikouski was legal

Viktar Chaikouski, deputy chair of civil association ‘Perspektyva’ and member of the Free Belarusian Trade Union, received a reply from Brest city transport police department concerning his detention at the city’s railway station back on 19 July, Radio Racyja reports.

The official reply argues that the arrest and the search of Mr. Chaikouski and Valiantsin Lazarenkau were legal, since there had been an anonymous phone call, claiming that Chaikouski was transporting publications containing libel of President.

‘The search report says we were transporting publications of anti-state contents, while the reply claims we were transporting ‘publications containing libel of President’, says Mr. Chaikouski.

According to human rights defender Raman Kisliak, ‘both the arrest and the search of Viktar Chaikouski are a violation of his right to freedom and security of person.’

‘Viktar Chaikouski has been harassed for his civil activities, his beliefs and their dissemination. Chaikouski’s detention upon an anonymous phone call violates his civil rights. Viktar Chaikouski is going to appeal the actions by the police’, says the human rights activist.