Head of Ministry of Internal Affaires Navumau deceived by subordinates

Minister of internal affaires of Belarus Uladzimir Navumau says militia doesn’t record violations and doesn’t bring people to administrative responsibility during the “election campaign”.

Uladzimir Navumau says his ministry is ready to cooperate and is open for intercourse with the OSCE observer mission for the parliamentary election.

“We are open for intercourse and stand ready for deferring to the wishes of OSCE observers at the parliamentary election in Belarus,” U. Navumau told to journalists on Friday.

He noted he would have a meeting with the head of the OSCE mission in Belarus the next week. According to the minister, officers of the region interior bodies have regular meetings with OSCE observers.

Note of www.charter97.org: Interior Minister Uladzimir Navumau is seemed to be deceived by his subordinates, if he doesn’t know about following facts of arrests and persecution of democratic activists for they are calling to boycott the oncoming “parliamentary election”:

On August28, the Leninski district court of Minsk sentenced activist of the “European Belarus” civil campaign Paval Luksha to 10 days of arrest for “Vybor” newspaper distribution, calling to boycott the oncoming “parliamentary election” and protest against possible rigging the 2election” results.

On August 28, Apartments of Krystina Samoilava and Ivan Shyla, Salihorsk Young Front activists, were searched. Militia officers said to Young Front members they were carrying out investigative actions in criminal case instigated against the activists allegedly for riot organising. The Young Front organisation is one of the initiators of boycotting the “parliamentary election”.

On August 27, activist of the Belarusian Popular Front party, Syarhei Salash, who filed an application to the Barysau district executive committee for registration as an MP candidate, was called to interior department of the executive committee. He was incriminated with committing an administrative offence over article 9.2 of the Code of Administrative Offnces (libel).

On August 21, militiamen tried to burst into apartment of the head of Mahilyou headquarters of te Belarusian Social Democratic party (Narodnaya Hramada) Alyaksandr Irkho. Militiamen asked neighbours to be attesting witnesses, when they would burst the doors of the apartment, but nobody agreed. Alyaksandr Irkho’s parents were told by militiamen that they must carry out a search and detain Alyaksandr for a conversation.

On August 18, a member of the UCP Yury Istomin spent three hours in Navahradak militia department, which deprived him a possibility to submit documents for registration as a candidate for deputy. The head of Hrodna regional branch and three members of his initiative group were detained during the collection of signatures.

On August 8, an activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Pavel Kuryanovich was sentenced to 15 days of arrest by the court of Maskouski district of Minsk. The oppositionist was arrested during storming of the Young Front headquarters by riot militiamen and on false charges was convicted for “petty hooliganism”. The young activist takes an active part in the boycott campaign of the “parliamentary elections”.

On August 7, riot militiamen, militiamen and KGB officers burst into the apartment of the Young Front in Karol Street in Minsk. Militiamen broke into 2 entrance doors of the head office. Leaders of the organisation Zmitser Dashkevich and Artur Finkevich were arrested, as well as four activists of the Young Front and an activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Pavel Kuryanovich.

Zmitser Dashkevich and Artur Finkevich were immediately sent to prison in Akrestsin Street in Minsk. Earlier they were sentenced in their absence for 7 days of arrest for participation in the rally on May 1, dedicated to the enlargement of the European Union. The young activists are taking an active part in the campaign of boycott of the “parliamentary elections”.

On August 4, one of the leaders of the Young Front Artsyom Dubski was arrested in Asipovichy. The guy was taken to police in handcuffs.

On July 9, militiamen and people in mufti broke into the apartment of Barysau activist of the Social Democratic party “Narodnaya Hramada” Alesya Yasiuk. When the owner of the apartment demanded to show a search warrant, she was handcuffed and told that she can be brought to responsibility for resistance to militiamen. Militiamen were searching for leaflets and “Boycott” stickers in her apartment.

A few days before, on July 6, the activist was detained in Minsk with “Boycott” leaflets. During the detention she was undressed and videoed in the militia department of Tsentralny district.

On august 28 an activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus”, one of the leaders of the youth movement of Belarus Yauhen Afnagel, was sentenced to 10 days of arrest by the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk. Considering that the activist had been sentenced in his absence to 7 days of arrest for participation in May Day demonstration, he had to spend 17 days in prison.