Human rights defender Aleh Volchak cannot get his passport
As BelaPAN news agency learned from human rights
activist Aleh Volchak, he filed a
complaint to the prosecutor's office of the Tsentralny district of Minsk
informing that policemen refuse to give back his passport.
On 6 February 2012 Aleh Volchak applied to the Investigation Committee in Minsk
asking to open a criminal case over Article 378 of the Criminal Code (stealing
personal documents), because his passport disappeared while he was serving his
term in custody.
Bear in mind that Aleh Volchak, a former investigator from a prosecutor's
office and head of Kyiv-based association “Legal Assistance to Population”, was
detained in Minsk
on 27 January. He was accused of disorderly conduct and sentenced to four days
in custody. Vouchak says his passport disappeared from his flat during his
detention. “After the detention, policemen seized my keys. I suspect policemen
to have taken my passport so that I was not able to visit human rights
conferences. It's just a suggestion which I cannot confirm. I do not know where
my passport is,” the human rights activist said.
On 8 February Mr. Volchak applied to the Tsentralny district police department
in connetion with the theft of the passport. He says the last time he saw his
passport was on 27 January, when he was detained by policemen from the
Tsentralny district police department.
“The chief of the Tsentralny district police department, Radzevich, ordered
inspector Saladun to study my case. I saw Saladun on 12 March to talk why there
have been no decisions on the case, thought the law prescribes to study
materials within a month. Saladun said in a private conversation the period of
consideration would be prolonged, but failed to explain the reason,” said Aleh
Volchak.
He thinks police officers intentionally delay a decision on his complaint. As
the same time, the citizenship and migration office of the Frunzenski district
police department refuses to issue a new passport to Mr. Volchak until the
inquiry over his passport appearance is not completed.
