Border guards seize laptop from human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka

Belarusian border guards searched human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka as he was returning from Lithuania last evening. As a result, they took several data storage devices and a laptop. The human rights activist was returning from a non-profit law forum, which took place in Vilnius. “My homeland met me with a cold welcome – both me and my car were subjected to a thorough examination. As soon as the border guard saw my name in the passport – she called her boss, which ordered a full examination,” said Leanid Sudalenka.

In April, police officers searched Leanid Sudalenka’s office and apartment, and took all the PCs. “So I bought myself a used laptop, but it was also taken for some test,” he added.

In April, the human rights defender was targeted in a criminal investigation into the spread of pornography. The investigators argued that Mr. Sudalenka’s email box and Wi-Fi were used to send pornographic videos to local offices of the Tax Inspection and the Investigative Committee.

“I think that today’s adventure on the border is linked to the special services’ attention to my personality, my active human rights work. On Friday, when I entered the territory of Lithuania, they did not have any interest about me and on the way back they searched me took my laptop. Probably, such attention is also connected with the pornography case. This is an act of intimidation,” said Leanid Sudalenka.