Criminal case against human rights watchdog from Vitsebsk reopened

A human rights activist Leanid Svetsik has received a letter from the regional KGB directorate thaht proceedings in the criminal case initiated against him for “incitement of ethnic hatred” and suspended about half a year ago, has been reopened again.

As said by Leanid Svetsik, the investigator didn’t tell him what was the reason for reopening the case. But he does not exclude that the reason is stepped-up pressure on human rights activists observed in Belarus recently, Radio Svaboda informs.

An example could be in particular denial to register the human rights organisation “Nasha Viasna” (“Our Spring”). Vitsebsk-based human rights activist took part in its founding congress.

It should be reminded that in 2006-2007 Leanid Svetsik consulted Vitsebsk activists who received letters with threats from Vitsebsk branch of the “Russian National Unity” (RNU) . Activists demanded from the KGB to find those threatening with reprisal for their political views and exhibits of Belarusian national identity. But police and state security organs refused to initiate criminal cases justifying that by the fact that RNU was an unregistered organisation.

The criminal case on the facts of threats by the RNU was opened only on May 20 last year. And on May 23 a 9-hour search was held in the flat of Vitsebsk human rights activist. During the search KGB men seized the computer and other office equipment, printed materials on issues of legal assistance, and even blank paper, from Leanid Svetsik. The search was held under a decree where Svetsik was mentioned as a witness in the case of “letters by the RNU”. However, during the interrogation in the KGB he was told that he was a suspect under a Criminal Article 130.1.

In September the criminal case against him was suspended. Meanwhile KGB investigators several times questioned the human rights activist and those who had received letters with threats. Among them where the editor-in-chief of the bulletin “Kurjer iz Vitebska” Uladzimir Bazan, a former chairman of the regional branch of the United Civil Party Alena Zalesskaya, a well-known oppositionist Barys Khamajda, who had received letters with threats twice; and other local activists, as well as Vitsebsk journalists who covered these events.

Now, when the criminal case is reopened, Leanid Svetsik hasn’t received new summons for interrogations yet. As before, he states that he had nothing to do with writing and dissemination of letters with threats on behalf of the RNU.

As we have informed, last week “Nasha Viasna” human rights centre made a statement answering to explanations of the Justice Ministry of Belarus which denied state registration to the association, one of which was “a criminal action opened under Article 130 of the Criminal Code of Belarus against one of the founders of the association, Leanid Svetsik”.

In the statement of the lawyers it is stressed that the criminal action against the human rights activist had been suspended, and the Justice Ministry was to know about the status of the investigation of the case against Leanid Svetsik.

And now the criminal case against the human rights activist from Vitsebsk had been reopened.