Aliaksei Mikhalevich detained on Belarusian border and released under “non-leave recognizance” (updated)
Aliaksei Mikhalevich
As learned by the Human Rights Center “Viasna”, this morning a former presidential candidate in 2010, Aliaksei Mikhalevich, has been detained while crossing the border by train Vilnius-Minsk.
"I am being driven from Hudahai to the Ašmiany District Police Department, where my fate will be decided”, said Mr. Mikhalevich to “Nasha Niva” over the phone at 10.59 a.m.
An hour ago the politician wrote in his FB account:
I have repeated many times that I would come back as soon as all political prisoners would be released. They have been released, now I'm returning.
The spokesman for the State Border Committee Aliaksandr Tsishchanka commented on the detention:
“He was detained as a persons who was being sought and will be handed over to the Ministry of Interior".
It should be noted that the criminal case, instigated on the events of “Square-2010”, (during which he had been detained) hasn't been dropped against A. Mikhalevich. After his release from the KGB remand prison in March 2011 Mr. Mikhalevich made a statement about numerous facts of mockery and torture and fled to Czech, where he received political asylum.
He used to be on the international wanted list for a long time. However, at the end of July 2012 the politician received an official notification that he was excluded from the central Interpol database as a person being sought.
If Aliaksei Mikhalevich will be taken into custody, Human Rights Center "Viasna" will qualify him as a political prisoner, demand the termination of criminal prosecution and his immediate release.
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As reported by the first deputy head of the Movement “For Freedom” Yury Hubarevich in his FB account, at about 3 p.m. Mr. Mikhalevich was released from the Ašmiany DPD under a recognizance not to leave:
Only Mikhalevich could get released under a recognizance not to leave without signing it.
