Offices of “Tell the Truth” campaign are searched

20.35. Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu’s flat is being searched

Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu’s Minsk flat is being searched in his presence, reports radio “Liberty”. Investigators are confiscating Nyaklyayeu’s PCs, a cell phone, leaflets and a few books.

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20.17. Balloons and computers confiscated from activists of “Tell the Truth” campaign

Policemen have also confiscated various books from party and trade union and flats of democratic activists.

A PC used to be here...

The head of Brest affiliate of the Free Belarusian Trade Union Valyantsin Lazarenkau has told ERB:

"Police officers Zaharau Ivan Uladzimiravich, Hryshyn Dzniil Victaravich and Shapavalau Aleh Ivanavich with search witnesses arrived at 12.20 p.m. They said some criminal case had been started and that it was the reason for the search. There are many offices in the building that had to be searched. However, the policemen got interested in ours for some reason. The offices of the Social-Democratic Party (Hramada) and of Brest affiliate of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee are situated here. They have confiscated part of the archive of agitation literature, election leaflets and trade union bulletins. They have also taken about 2 or 3 thousand postcards “Tell the Truth”, about 100 balloons “For the Truth” and the same number of Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu’s books. They have confiscated both PCs and Hanna Kanyus’ personal notebook”.  

The flat of Hanna Kanyus, head of the city affiliate of the BSDP (Hramada) was searched at the same time, said Mr. Lazarenkau.

Ms. Kanyus has confirmed that her father phoned her and said that her PC and documents had been confiscated.


In the picture: The office of Brest affiliate of the Belarusian Social-Democratic Party (Hramada) after the search.

Policemen also wanted to search the office of Brest regional affiliate of the organization of radio and Electricity Industry Workers situated in the same building. However, its head Zinaida Mihnyuk was absent. They wanted to open the door with the help of an autogenous welding, said the trade union’s lawyer Uladzimir Malei. The policemen refused to explain him the reason for the search.

Police cars were still near the office at 6 p.m. (in the picture).




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19.50. Campaign’s main office sealed up, Nyaklyayeu’s whereabouts unknown

Policemen have sealed up the main office of the campaign “Tell the Truth” in Minsk on Tuesday evening. They have confiscated all printed materials and PC system units. It has turned out that Uladzimir Nyaklyayeu was not there. His whereabouts are unknown, informs Radio “Liberty”.

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19.20. Property confiscated from Minsk office of “Tell the Truth” campaign

Policemen have started taking out the property from Minsk office of the campaign “Tell the Truth” on Tuesday evening. BelaPAN informs that printed materials, system units, monitors and other things have been confiscated.


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18.40. UCP political council protests against detentions of its activists and searches

The political council of the United Civil Party has announced its protests against detentions of its activists and searches in their flats on May 18.

According to the statement, security agencies have detained and searched the flats of UCP activists Yury Fabisheuski, Alyaksandra Vasilevich, Dzmitry Bandarchuk and Vital Hulyak.
The UCP political council demands explanations from representatives of security agencies and addresses the international community with an appeal to express solidarity with all those who were detained on May 18.

The UCP political council thinks that the detentions are connected with the presidential campaign. According to its statement, “the authorities are only able to control the situation with the help of brute force”. The events taking place testify to the fact that Lukashenka is not sure neither of himself nor of his ability to control the situation before the presidential campaign”, - informs BelaPAN.


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18.30. Search in the flat of leader of campaign “For Free Business Developemnt” Alena Myadzvedzeva took 5 hours

Ales Sushcheuskі
The search in the flat of leader of campaign “For Free Business Development” Alena Myadzvedzeva took 5 hours in Babruisk. Only Alena’s 9-year-old granddaughter was home at that moment. Policemen who arrived with a psychologist and search witnesses threatened that they would wrench out the lock. The frightened girl opened the door.
About 100 objects were confiscated about 100 objects including two PCs belonging to the children.

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17.45. Search in Zhodzina has finished

ERB

The search in the office of a civil initiative “Independent Republic of Zhodzina” and of an independent website www.zhodzina.info has finished.

Policemen have confiscated all media – 2 PCs, a notebook, discs, flash drives, projector, books and various documents. A KGB member from Minsk was in charge of the search. The search itself was conducted by Zhodzina police drug enforcement department. Everything was filmed.

An activist of the initiative “Independent Republic of Zhodzina”, Yauhen Herasimenka, who was in the office during the search was interrogated about the initiative’ financial sources. Policemen asked him if the initiative was connected with the movement “Go Ahead!” and “Tell the Truth!”. Policemen were severe, kept threatening him and were using bad language.

Then Yauhen Herasimenka was asked to go to Zhodzina police office on foot. He was asked the same questions as during the search there.

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17.35 Investigators confiscate “Chernobyl Bell”

One of the interrogated activists of the campaign “Tell the Truth” Mihas Bashura has informed Radio “Liberty” about it.

The owner of the bell Ales Shatrenik left it at Mihas’s when he went abroad. The bell is always brought in front of the Chernobyl Way. Policemen have already confiscated the bell and loudspeaker equipment from the action’s organizers several times.

Now it will be delivered to Lenin District police office together with PCs and printed materials.

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17.30 Henadz Buraukin: I do not have a logical explanation for policemen’s actions

Zmіtser Lukashuk
A poet Henadz Buraukin commented on the searches in offices of the civil campaign “Tell the Truth” and in its activists’ flats in an interview with ERB.

Henadz Buraukin: "The appeal to tell the truth, to inform the public about the truth is a very good thing. I think that clever and civilized authorities should understand that knowing the truth is a pledge of intelligent and creative functioning”.

An expert of the campaign “Tell the Truth” Alyaksandr Fyaduta has expressed an idea that the searches may be caused by the initiative to rename Ulyanau Street into Vasil Bykau Street. However, Henadz Buraukin disagrees with it. According to him, the 10 thousand signatures collected in support of the campaign cannot explain such actions of the police and security agencies.

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17.13 Chavusau: Searches in “Tell the Truth” campaign were prepared in advance

Vital Ruhain

A political scientist Yury Chavusau does not think that the searches in offices of the campaign “Tell the Truth” may be connected with Kazulin’s interview about changing the name of Ulyanau Street to Bykau Street. The authorities aim is eliminating the campaign itself. It depends on the aims of the campaign whether they manage to do it.

Chavusau: "I do not think that a certain event, statement or the initiative to rename Ulyanau Street into Bykau Street could be a reason for this “seizure”.  It is a coordinated operation planned in advance. It is aimed at the elimination of the whole campaign. If there is a civil initiative looking for realization, the campaign will remain and it will be impossible to suppress it with such searches. If the campaign is artificial, pumped full with money and created by political strategists as a political project, this is a way to eliminate a project like this nowadays”.
The campaign “Tell the Truth” did not announce that it had any political goals and was not going to choose a presidential contender. However, Mr.Chavusau says that the structure of the campaign and its activists testified to the pre-election nature of the initiative.

In the expert’s opinion, the Belarusian authorities are worried about the campaign’s scheme – including the eastern resource in the realization of opposition actions.

"Taking into account the worsening relations with the Kremlin, the Belarusian authorities consider such initiatives dangerous. Unlike the title opposition, I mean registered political parties that are allowed to prepare political campaigns”, - thinks Chavusau.



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15.30 Office of “Independent Republic of Zhodzina” is being searched

ERB

Representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and KGB rushed into the office of an independent initiative “Independent Republic of Zhodzina” and an independent website www.zhodzina.info at  12.25 a.m. One of the volunteers of the initiative – Yauhen Herasimeka – was in the office at that moment. It is impossible to contact him now.

According to Zhodzina activists, their initiative is not connected with the campaign “Tell the Truth”.

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15.10 Office of BSDP (Hramada) searched in Brest

BelaPAN informs that the search started at 10 a.m. As of 2.25 p.m., it has not been finished yet.

According to unconfirmed information, the deputy head of Brest Regional affiliate of the social democrats Valyantsin Lazarenkeu and the head of Brest city affiliate of the party Hanna Kanyus are in the organization’s office now. They are not answering their cell phones and the office phone.

As ERB has found out, Zinaida Mihnyuk’s flat (head of Brest Regional affiliate of the trade union of radio and electricity industry workers) has also been searched.

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14.55 Flat of Brest coordinator of “Tell the Truth” is being searched
 
Yauhen Byalasin

A search is being conducted in the flat of a Brest Province coordinator of the campaign “For the Truth!” Artsyom Tserashonak. He has only managed to tell his address to ERB. Then the phone call was interrupted.

Let us note that Brest activists of the campaign conducted several actions that received publicity in mass media last month.

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14.50 All documents about economic activities, bank contracts, two PC system units and opposition materials are being confiscated from the office of Mahileu welfare social fund “Sincerity”. The police have not explained what kind of materials they need.  They say they will take everything they consider necessary. The head of the fund Ihar Kavalenka has informed ERB about it.

Kavalenka: "It turns out that a fund helping children, blood donors and other people is opposition. It is connected with the campaign “Tell the Truth”. They are confiscating any materials about the campaign. The searches are being conducted according to the sanctions of the Prosecutor of Lenin District. It says “according to criminal case number such-and-such”. And nobody explains what case it is”.
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14.40 People caught by policemen in Minsk office of “Tell the Truth” have informed ERB that the search is being conducted as part of some criminal case about illegal acquirement of office equipment. Furthermore, policemen are interrogating the present about the reason for their presence in the office and the things they do there.

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14.30. The office of Hrodna representative of “Tell the Truth” Ihar Lameka is beings searched at the moment. Ihar is not answering the phone. According to his colleagues, people in plain clothes took Lameka from work about 1.5 hours ago.