Artur Finkevich not permitted leaving Belarus to meet US Congressmen

The leader of “Young Belarus” was detained on the border. He was said that he does not have a right to leave the country.

Artur Finkevich, as well as the leader of the United Civil Party Anatol Lyabedzka, a former political prisoner, former candidate for presidency in Belarus Alyaksandr Kazulin and a deputy chairman of the Belarusian Popular Front party Vintsuk Vyachorka were detained by border guards at the road to Lithuania. The oppositional politicians were on their way to Vilnius in a car. A meeting of Belarusian democrats with the US Congressmen was to take place there.

However, as the press-centre of the Charter’97 was informed by Artur Finkevich, at the border first Alyaksandr Kazulin and them he were thoroughly searched, and then border guards said to him that he does not have a right to leave the country. “I was denied the right to leave the country on the grounds that in February 2008 I was convicted for violation of rules of serving the sentence (I had been sentenced to 1.5 year of restriction of freedom). This term has almost expired, and I visited foreign counties this year without problems, and suddenly I was denied the right to leave, and a stamp “Exit denied” was made in my passport,” Artur Finkevich said to the Charter’97 press-centre.

“Today’s events show once again that the Belarusian regime is not going to change, repressions continue. Oppositionists are neutralized in this or that way. Lukashenka is not ready to start liberalization on principle,” the young activist stated.