Yury Lyavonau: “All charges against us are absurd”

The released political prisoner Yury Lyavonau has given the first interview to the website www.charter97.org. The businessman was released on August 8 with a recognizance not to leave.

Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau and Uladzimir Asipenka were detained on February 8. On February 18 the businessmen were charged under article 218 of the Criminal Code (intentional damage to or destruction of property of citizens). On June 23, a criminal case under article 359 of the Criminal Code (a terroristic act) in the form of preparation (article 13) was instigated against Autukhovich and “other persons”.

Human rights activists consider the detained to be political prisoners drawing attention to the fact that Autukhovich and Lyavonau were convicted before and recognized prisoners of conscience by the international community.

- Yury, what were the grounds of your release?

- I was released as investigative actions in the framework of the criminal action have been allegedly finished. I have given a written undertaking not to leave the place. Let’s hope that I would remain at large before the court. In any case, until the first session of the court.

- When the trial can take place?

- As long as the investigation in the case has been extended for 2 months, it is possible theoretically that it would be forwarded to the court on October 8, and in a month and a half the trial will probably start.

- What other investigative activities have been carried out with you? Lawyers said that after the arrest you were almost never summoned for interrogations.

- I do not know about Asipenka and Autukhovich, but as far as I am concerned, there were interrogations. However, they were held not very intensively, to put it mildly. There was an interrogation whet I was presented charges, on February 18. Then I wasn’t invited till the end of May. Then in June. And in July nothing was happening as well. Well, I was invited for interrogations for less then 5 times over half a year.

- And what investigators were interested in during interrogations?

- Unfortunately, I am released after signing a non-disclosure agreement. So please write it down this way. Pass my greetings to them from freedom.

- Could you remind how you were arrested on February 8, 2009? Was it a forcible seizure?

- It was a beautiful seizure. At 6 a.m. 8 officers of the special unit Almaz stirred up everyone my house. I live on the fourth floor. I have a little flat, so it became very cramped there immediately. They demonstrated the search warrant signed by the prosecutor. They haven’t said what they were looking for. In an hour and a half they finished everything and took me to Minsk. I was transported separately. We didn’t see each other with Mikalai Autukhovich and Uladzimir Asipenka, except accidental meetings in prison.

- And how it was taking place?

- I met Mikalai Autukhovich by chance in a corridor of the remand prison in late March or early April. All we could was to look at each other.

- Do you know something about the state of Autukhovich and Asipenka?

- I know about their state only from newspapers I received in my ward.

- How do you estimate the charges of setting on fire houses of Vaukavysk officials?

- They are utterly absurd, and have nothing to do with reality. It is absolutely ridiculous and outlandish what investigators tried to charge me with. It is not evidence. One can say and invent anything at all.

- Do you know that the director of “Nika-Taxi 22222” firm Liudmila Paremskaya and an Afghan war veteran Kanstantsin Ulanau were detained in your case?

- I heard that, read that and was surprised. I have no idea how they could be involved in all these events.

- Could they be forced to give evidence against you, Asipenka and Autukhovich?

- I cannot exclude that. Considering who testified against me and what they said, I cannot exclude anything. But I won’t say who testified against me, it’s secrecy of investigation.

- How would you estimate bringing up a second criminal action against Mikalai Autukhovich (preparation of a terrorist attack)?

- It is the same absurd as the first criminal case.

- With what do you thing persecution against you and your colleagues from Vaukavysk is connected?

- It could be related to many things: with our business activities, with the fact that we have been fighting for our business for many years and have caused many problems to many bureaucrats.

I took part in the election campaign in 2004, when Autukhovich was nominated as a deputy, I was the head of his campaign headquarters. But I must say generally that economy and politics are closely interwoven in our country. That shouldn’t be disregarded.

- Over half a year you have spent in prison, hundreds of solidarity rallies with you and Mikalai Autukhovich and Uladzimir Asipenka were held Belarus. What would you say to these people?

- Please pass my heartfelt gratitude to those who were not intimidated, who found time, courage and strength to carry out solidarity rallies. I felt your support, and it really helped me a lot.