Human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka: I was detained as if I were terrorist

The human rights defender from Homel, who was detained at Kamenny Loh border checkpoint on May 24, filed a complaint to the Ashmiany district court.

Leanid Sudalenka wanted his seized laptop and printed information materials to be returned to him. His attempts to get his belongings from the State Customs Committee were not successful, and the committee's deputy head Uladzimir Arlouski sent the human rights defender to a court, Radio Racyja reports.

Leanid Sudalenka thinks he was searched illegally at the checkpoint.

“It's unclear why they used the strictest sanction against me. Article 117 of the Criminal Code says the strictest sanctions can be applied only if there are proofs that a person hides something when crossing the state border. But I was detained for no reasons as if I were a terrorist,” he said.

Leanid Sudalenka asks the court to declare illegal the actions by officers of the Ashmiany customs department who seized his belongings and to oblige the customs department to return his laptop and printed materials.