Kullinkovich: Aleh believed in what everyone else stopped believing

Family and friends, colleagues-journalists, politicians and civic leaders, directors and musicians came to say goodbye to the journalist Aleh Biabenin. According to the official version he committed suicide. However, no one of those who came to say goodbye to Aleh, believed in this version.



According to Natallia Radzina, Aleh Biabenin was a very successful journalist and his personal life was also in order.

Natallia Radzina: “Aleh was a very cheerful person, a great specialist, a popular man and a successful journalist. He had a good family, he was one of the most important members of Andrej Sannikau's team, everyone needed him at work before the presidential elections. Everyone loved and appreciated him. How can such a person decide to commit suicide?! That is why I don't believe in the version of the Ministry of internal Affairs”.



The Deputy Chief Editor of the newspaper "Narodnaya Volya" Sviatlana Kalinkina agreed that Aleh's death left more questions than answers. She stated that independent journalists had always been the worst enemies for the current authorities.

Sviatlana Kalinkina: “During the entire career of Aliaksandr Lukashenka mass media have been his worst enemies and strongest opponents. He never hid that. The pressure on politicians, parties or organizations has never been so brutal, as the pressure on the media and journalists."



The leader of the campaign "Tell the Truth" Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu considers that the law-enforcement authorities provided no proof that it indeed was suicide and not murder.

Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu: “If the law-enforcement authorities say that a man came home and hunged himself for no reason, not providing any proof thereof and not wishing to find any proof that it was not a murder, I have a right not to believe that. I have a demand they should prove it to me, the citizen of this country, that it was not a murder. Moreover, that it was not an assacination. As the place and the time when it happened arise suspicion that it was connected with politics, with elections, with struggle for power”.



Nyaklyaeu added that he knew Aleh for a very long time and strongly disbelieved that the journalist was capable of drinking two bottles of balm alone and with no food.

Friend and colleague of Aleh Biabenin from the newspaper "Imia" Zmitser Padbiarezski agreed with the poet.

Zmitser Padbiarezski: “It's very hard to believe it. These two bottles of balm have nothing in common with Aleh. He barely used alcohol at all the editor's office parties. That's excluded. I have an impression it was some stupid and badly performed fabrication”.



Stanislau Shushkevich claimed that the experts who gave their conclusions with regard to the reason for death could have made a mistake.

Stanislau Shushkevich: “Experts can make mistakes, too. It's only in the movies like "Murder Department" everything is clear from the start and everyone is so smart. An investigation should be conducted. I think that on the basis of the initial medicolegal investigation serious experts should make their conclusions”.



The Chairperson of the Belarusian Association of Journalists Zhanna Litwina compared the death of Aleh Biabenin with deaths of Zmitser Zavadzki and Veranika Charkasava.

Zhanna Litwina: “The similarity is also in that all these questions arise again: what happened? Who pushed? What happened before the tragedy? How to find answers to these questions? I don't know yet. And until we find these answers, such deaths will be painful, unexpected and unexplainable”.



The leader of the band "Neurodubel" Aliaksandr Kullinkovich also considers Aleh's death unexplainable. Aleh was a friend of Kullinkovich, he never missed Neurodubel's concerts. According to Aliaksandr, this person could not possibly commit suicide.

Aliaksandr Kullinkovich: “I don't believe it was suicide for a moment. Aleh was a rather aimed person. He was reckless in a good sense - Aleh believed in what everyone else stopped believing. A person with such a position could not possibly do such a thing”.



The leader of the Movement "For Freedom!" Aliaksandr Milinkevich advised to look for those who would benefit from the journalist's death.

Aliaksandr Milinkevich: “I cannot put up with the official version, however, it is not final yet. Even the autopsy results are yet unknown. We should wait and think who could benefit from this”.



It is known that Aleh Biabenin should have been a member of the headquarters of the leader of the "European Belarus" Andrej Sannikau. The politician says he doesn't know yet who can substitute Aleh in the team.

Andrej Sannikau: “We lost Aleh Biabenin, an outstanding person, a real professional, a talented journalist and organizer. It is impossible to substitute him. I don't want to tell how we'll manage things. I don't think about it yet. He did many things, which we will use further on”.



Aleh Biabenin was buried on September 6 at Ushodni Cemetery.



Photo and video: Zmitser Lukashuk