23 persons in KGB torture chamber

For today, 26 persons have been joined to the so-called “mass riots” criminal case.

It has been informed by “Viasna” human rights centre.

23 out of them are kept in the KGB detention centre, Ryhor Kastusyou and Dmitry Uss have given a written undertaking to leave the place, Mikita Likhavid is to be taken from Zhodzina prison to the KGB detention centre in the nearest time. The last on the list of suspects is Andrei Fedarkevich, who had been arrested for 10 days of administrative arrest and served the sentence in the temporary detention facility in Zhodzina, has been transferred to the KGB detention facility in Minsk. KGB officers are searching for Mikita Krasnou. A search was held in his apartment on December 27. In the search warrant it was written that the young activist was also “a suspect.”

Almost nothing is known about the prisoners of the KGB jail. Lawyers have signed non-disclosure obligations. But even without that one can guess that rights of the arrested are violated. A lawyer of Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu, a presidential candidate, was allowed to visit him only after a week. Before that there was no information about whereabouts and state of health of the poet. Nothing is known about the state of health of Andrei Sannikov, a presidential candidate. He had been brutally beaten up, his leg was injured. Natallya Radzina, an editor of charter97.org, was not provided medical assistance. As the lawyer of the journalist informed, “She is still bleeding from her ears” from police beating.

On December 29 charges are to be brought against most suspects. Lawyers of the victims of the Belarusian usurper’s reprisal entered a motion to change the measure of restraint for them, but judging from the fact that “detention in custody” for Vital Rymasheuski, the same destiny is to belong to the other arrested.

We remind that the reason of the crackdown on the opposition leaders, activists and journalists was a mass protest rally on December 19 in Minsk. Belarusian citizens were outraged by the shocking fraud in the presidential election, with the help of which the Belarusian dictator tried to stay in power.

The list of suspects in the “Mass riots” criminal case opened under Article 293 Parts 1 and 2 of the Criminal Code of Belarus:

1. Andrei Sannikov – a presidential candidate

2. Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu (Neklyaev) – a presidential candidate

3. Ryhor Kastusyou – a presidential candidate (under a written undertaking not to leave the place)

4. Alyaksandr Atroshchankau – a press-secretary of A. Sannikov’s campaign headquarters

5. Alyaksei Mikhalevich – a presidential candidate

6. Vital Rymasheuski – a presidential candidate

7. Paval Sevyarynets – an electioneering agent of the candidate Vital Rymasheuski

8. Zmitser Bandarenka – a coordinator of “European Belarus” civil campaign

9. Iryna Khalip – a journalist, Andrei Sannikov’s wife

10. Natallya Radzina – a journalist, an editor of charter97.org website

11. Anatol Lyabedzka – the chair of the United Civil Party

12. Anastasiya Palazhanka – a deputy chairperson of the “Young Front”

13. Andrei Dzmitryeu –U. Nyaklyaeu’s campaign manager

14. Alyaksandr Fyaduta – a political analyst, one of coordinators of U. Nyaklyaeu’s election campaign team

15. Mikalai Statkevich – a presidential candidate

16. Alyaksandr Klaskouski – a former police officer

17. Uladzimir Kobets – a campaign manager of A. Sannikov (says in the KGB detention centre for less than 3 days, measure of restraint not chosen for him yet)

18. Dmitry Uss – a presidential candidate (under a written undertaking not to leave the place)

19. Syarhei Vaznyak – U. Nyaklyaeu’s electioneering agent

20. Aleh Korban – one of the leaders of the UCP youth organistion, “Young Democrats”

21. Alyaksandr Arastovich – M. Statkevich’s electioneering agent

22. Anatoly Paulau – Yaraslau Ramanchuk’s electioneering agent

23. Syarhei Martsaleu – M. Statkevich’s campaign manager

24. Dzmitry Novik – a participant of the protest rally on December 19

25. Mikita Likhavid – “For Freedom” movement activist, the decision to detain him for 15 days has been annulled. He is to be transferred from Zhodzina to the KGB detention centre

26. Andrei Fedarkevich – a participant of the protest rally on December 19, the decision to detain him for 10 days has been annulled. He has been transferred from Zhodzina to the KGB detention centre.

It cannot be ruled out that a youth activist Mikita Krasnou is also a suspect in the mass riot criminal case. A human rights centre “Viasna” (Spring) has information that this status was written in the search warrant which was shown during the search held in Krasnou’s apartment on December 27.