State Control Committee does not comment on detention of Ales Byalyatski

The press service of the Belarusian State Control Committee declined to comment on the information about detention of human rights activist Ales Byalyatski by officers of the Financial Investigation Department.

“We do not have any information to release on this occasion,” a committee officer told BelaPAN news agency.

The Vice President of the International Federation for Human Rights and head of Viasna human rights centre not registered in Belarus, Ales Byalyatski, was detained and placed in custody on August 4. According to human rights activists, he is suspected in violation of part 2 of article 243 of the Criminal Code (tax evasion on a large scale). He may face 7 years of imprisonment and confiscation of property.