Yauhen Afnahel: “In the nearest time we may see even more cruel repressions against opposition”

Activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Yauhen Afnahel commented charter97.org on his kidnapping by unknown people in mufti on December 6.

“The Belarusian authorities have begun to use clumsy methods of repressions against the opposition. Over the last 18 months, the regime has used methods not less repressive and terrible and sometimes even crueler. I have become convinced that nothing threatens the regime from Europe. The Belarusian authorities have begun to use kidnapping, beating, intimidation, and maybe killings. I am sure, if human rights organization and European governments do not take a clear stance on violation of human rights in Belarus, we will see even more cruel repressions against the opposition. The blame for the repressions will lie with the Belarusian authorities and many European officials, who are trying to b eon friendly terms with the dictator,” the “European Belarus” activist said.

We remind that Yauhen Afnahel, one of the leaders of the civil campaign “European Belarus”, was kidnapped on December 6. As Afnahel told, he had been caught by four men in mufti in Belinski Street in Minsk in the evening on December 6. Afnahel was forced to get into a white car with tinted windows and taken out of town. According to the activist of “European Belarus”, the kidnapers didn’t talk anything. He was forced to sit with his head between his knees and was let me out on a country road some kilometres from Barysau highway.

Recently secret service officers abducted youth leaders Zmitser Dashkevich and Artur Finkevich, an activist of “European Belarus” civil campaign Uladzimir Lemesh. In all the cases the activists were abducted by unknown people in plainclothes, who however had police walkie-talkies. The young people were taken to the forest, threatened and demanded to stop political activities. Then the activists were taken away from Minsk for dozens of kilometers.