Endless interrogations
On 14 February an investigator of the
military counter-intelligence phoned to a human rights activist Nasta Loika. He
refused to introduce himself and said that he could show his ID during their
meeting. He tried to invite her for a 'talk'. However, Nasta answered that she
refused to come to him without receiving an official writ. After this the
investigator tried to specify her address, she asked that the investigation had
all possibilities to find it on their own. After this the counter-intelligence
officer promised to soon her a writ soon.
Earlier Nasta was interrogated as a witness in the 'mass
riot case' by KGB investigators Baryseivich and Svistun. Two weeks ago she also
received a telephone call from the preliminary investigation department of the
main police bureau of the Minsk City Executive Committee Dashchynski. He also
insisted on Nasta's coming for a 'talk' and even threatened her.
On 14 February Heorhi Lepin, 80-year-old professor detained at the protest
action on 19 December 2010
in Minsk and fined 1,050,000 rubles (about $350),
received a telephone invitation to come for an interrogation at the
Kastrychintski District Police Department of Minsk.
On 11 February officers of the criminal search department paid a visit to the
parents of Mikita Krasnou, but the parents didn't open the door to them. Mikita
Krasnou is a former leader of a democratic organization Maladaya Belarus and
a leader of the Citizen campaign. He collected signatures in support of
the candidacy of Aliaksei Mikhalevich during the presidential election 2010,
and composed a number of complaints against violations of the electoral
legislation by members of the electoral team of Aliaksandr Lukashenka.
Despite the fact that Mikita Krasnou didn't take an active part in the protest
action of 19 December, the three possible places of his residence were searched
after the action. At present he is also one of the suspects in the criminal
case instigated on Article 293, 'mass riot' in connection with the protest action. This status was indicated in the search
warrant presented by KGB officers on 27 December, but by that time Mikita has
already left the country.
A KGB investigator phoned to Tatsiana Shambalava, an electioneering agent of
Vital Rymasheuski, in order to pass her a writ for an interrogation. However,
she offered him to mail the writ. Nevertheless, he insisted on coming to her
place and passing the writ in person. Tatsiana Shambalava was detained during
the protest action of 19 December and sentenced to 10-day arrest. She kept a
hunger-strike during the whole term of the arrest. After her release from the
detention facility in Akrestsin Street, the activist appealed the demand of the
prison administration to pay for the cost of her stay there. However, the
appeal was considered in her absence. As the girl learned from the court
answer, she needed to pay the money to the prison administration, because she
'received meals three times a day at the cost of the state'.
In Mazyr, three activists were summoned for
interrogation as witnesses in the ‘mass riot’ case. In particular, Ales
Kavalchuk, an electioneering agent of Vital Rymasheuski, was interrogated on 11
February. Ryhor Kryvitski, the head of the Mazyr branch of Andrei Sannikau’s
electoral team, was interrogated on 14 February. A writ for interrogation was
also submitted to a human rights defender Uladzimir Tseliapun. The writ was
signed by KGB officer V.Prykhodzka. However, most probably the interrogation of
Mr. Tseliapun will be postponed as he is in hospital now.
