News on the topic: KGB
04.07.2008 Youth activist gets to mental hospital for refusal to collaborate with KGB
Activist of the youth organization Civil Forum Artsiom Zabaryn was taken to the Minsk mental hospital for examination after he had refused to answer questions of the KGB offices.
10.06.2008 KGB interrogates victims of RNE-threats
Yan Taupyha, member of the council of the Christian Democratic Party of the Belarusian Popular Front, and party member Yan Dziarzhautsau, were called to the region KGB office. Six month ago they received threatening letters from the Vitsebsk office of the underground pro-Russian neo-Nazi organization Russian National Unity (RNE).
10.06.2008 Polastk: political views as obstacle to becoming a honors man
An activist of the Young Front Zmitser Sakalou, the best graduate of Polatsk Lyceum, has been deprived a diploma with honors because of his political convictions.
04.06.2008 Open letter of Human Rights House Foundation in support of human rights defender Leanid Svetsik
The Human Rights House Foundation is concerned about the harassment of the human rights defender Leanid Svetsik. On Friday, 23 May 2008 three KGB officers burst into Svetsik’s apartment in Vitebsk. The following search lasted for nine hours and was directed by the senior lieutenant of the KGB. During the search, the KGB confiscated Svetsik’s computer, human rights related printed material and a certificate from the Council of Europe. After the search, Svetsik was brought to the KGB office of Vitebsk region where he was interrogated for more than two hours. The interrogation was videotaped.
30.05.2008 Human Rights Activist Leanid Svetsik interrogated by KGB
Human rights activist Leanid Svetsik and editor-in-chief of the Kurier iz Vitsebska newsletter Uladzimer Bazan have been interrogated by Vitsebsk regional KGB officials. They also were warned of possible persecution for commenting on the details of the interrogation due to 'security reasons'. It's the second time Leanid Svetsik is interrogated by KGB. The first contact took place on 23 May after a search in his private appartment. He was named witness in a criminal case. The lawyer has been engaged in providing legal consultations to Vitsebsk activists threatened by the pro-Nazi RNE movement. Uladzimir Bazan was one of their vicitms.
27.05.2008 KGB persecutes Belarusian human rights activists
On Friday, 23 May 2008 three KGB officers suddenly burst into the apartment of Leanid Svetsik, human rights activist from Vitsebsk. They showed to him the ruling of the prosecutor’s office for initiation of criminal proceedings under Article 130.1 of the Criminal Case of the Republic of Belarus (fomentation of national and religious enmity). According to this ruling, Mr. Svetsik is considered a witness in the case of threats to certain citizens from the side of the underground neo-Nazi organization Russian National Unity (RNE).
27.05.2008 Searches and arrests in Vitsebsk
Paval Liavinau, member of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee (BHC), got 10 days of administrative arrests and a fine of 700 000 rubles (about 328 US dollars).
12.05.2008 KGB continues pressurizing youth activists
Recently a member of the youth wing of the BPF Party Ruslan Shoshyn was to have come to Sweden for a short-term educational seminar. However, he got ill and had to stay in Belarus.
08.05.2008 Student Aleh Hrubich not let abroad
Aleh Hrubich, first-year student of the faculty of Belarusian history and cultural anthropology of the European Humanities University came from Vilnius to Minsk on holidays, but didn’t manage to return back. The border guards took him off the train without explaining anything and made him wait for five hours. Then he was taken to Minsk for ‘further discrimination’.
08.05.2008 Prosecutor’s office upholds KGB actions against independent journalists
Homel oblast KGB office found no law violations in the actions of the persons who had conducted a search in the apartment of the journalist Anatol Hatouchyts, member of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, and took away his instruments of labor. The return of the confiscated items depends on the ‘organ by which the criminal investigation is lead’.
08.05.2008 KGB continues ‘prophylactic talks’ with students
Katsiaryna Yurchankova, third-year student of the library college in Mahiliou, was visited by a KGB officer during her studies. He introduced himself as Aliaksandr Miadzvedzeu, counter-intelligence officer. He had a tête-à-tête talk with Katsiaryna at the office of the college administration. The girl was invited there by one of the college teachers.
16.04.2008 KGB harasses pro-dem youth
On April 16, Khrystsina Marchuk, a youth activists from Hrodna, was summonsed to the KGB region department. The summons served by dean of Hrodna State University philology department did not specify the reason for the invitation.
08.04.2008 KGB threatens to trade union activists
KGB tries to recruit informers among activists of independent trade unions. The last case was registered in Homel, where an unidentified man who introduced himself as the head of the department of Homel KGB office for protection of the political system met with the juridical inspector of the Belarusain trade union of radio electronic industry Leanid Sudalenka.
07.04.2008 Another journalist interrogated by KGB
4 April the investigator of the Homel oblast KGB office Andrei Kolasau interrogated the journalist Dzmitry Karpenka as a witness in case #05011110396, brought in 2005 on the fact of defaming the head of the state.
02.04.2008 KGB blackmails students
KGB workers visited some of the persons who were arrested on 25 March 2008 for participation in the peaceful rally dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic.
