Stefanovich: They want Haidukou to give necessary evidence

A human rights activist speaks about a possible reason for transferring a young activist from Vitebsk to Minsk.

“It's difficult for me to say what caused the transfer. The investigation is carried out by the Investigation Committee. It's hard to explain why he was moved from Minsk to Vitesbk and then from Vitebsk to Minsk. They perhaps want him to give necessary evidence,” deputy head of Viasna human rights centre Valyantin Stefanovich told charter97.org about the transfer of the activist from a detention facility in Vitebsk to Minsk.

It should be reminded that lawyer of Andrei Haidukou was told his client had been transferred to the Belarusian capital on December 22. The activist was detained in Vitebsk on November 8. He had been kept in the KGB jail in Minsk until early December. He was then sent to Vitebsk and than back to Minsk.

The 22-year-old worker of Navapolatsk-based Naftan plant is charged with spying. Officially, the activist was detained as he was “installing a dead drop with the information interesting for foreign secret services”. The charge is considered to be absurd by many people.

European Belarus civil campaign released a statement saying the activist was detained for distributing Charter'97 newspaper. Human rights activists link prosecution of Haidukou to his pro-opposition views and explain it by attempts to scare young activists.