Border guards detain human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka

Human rights activist Leanid Sudalenka was detained by the Belarusian border guards as he was going by train from Vilnius last evening. “I was on a train from Vilnius to Minsk, the customs officials checked me and everything was fine. The border guards came in to check the passports, and immediately began calling their chief on the radio. I had nothing illegal on my baggage and immediately offered to conduct a personal search, which they like doing, but I was told that they would take me off the train in Maladziečna. They gave no reasons for that,” said the human rights activist.

Leanid Sudalenka says the officers used physical force. He was held at the border checkpoint until 11 p.m., the officers searched him, drafted a report of customs examination, wrote down all that was with him - money, sweets for the son, nothing illegal was found and he was finally released. The human rights activist is forced to wait for another train and somehow get home for their money, because ticket he no offsets. “At least, I will fight for that – a compensation for the cost of travel, as I was taken off the train without any reason, and personal examination found nothing forbidden or undeclared,” said Leanid Sudalenka. He noted that when twelve border guards and customs officers were dragging him from the train, the train master was running behind and shouting: "Do not take anything, do not take."

Earlier, the human rights activist has been repeatedly detained when crossing the border. Leanid Sudalenka was subjected to personal examination for no reason, and in May a laptop was seized from him. Now the human rights activist is trying to return the equipment in court. “Today's adventures on the border can be regarded as revenge for the fact that I’m suing the Ašmiany customs", said Leanid Sudalenka.