All Political Prisoners In ‘Patriots Case’ Summoned For Interrogation

The head of the Investigatory Committee said earlier that this case would be brought to close by late autumn.

Public representative of the families of political prisoners Nina Shydlouskaya informed that all the political prisoners in the “patriots case” had been summoned for interrogation, to the website palitviazni.info.

“The law-enforcers will try to save face and resolve the situation beautifully. Meanwhile, what is “beautiful” for them, may turn into something not good for the guys,” — she told.

Important to note, the detentions of patriots began after Lukashenka's statement on March 21 this year that "dozens of militants" who "trained in armed camps" were detained in Belarus. Within a few days 35 detainees were reported. At first, it was claimed that the case was started over "preparation of mass riots" (Part 3, Article 233 of the Criminal Code), later there was an accusation of "creating an illegal armed formation and participating thereof" (Article 287 of the CC).

Gradually, political prisoners were released under a non-leave obligation, and in June the case was forwarded to the Investigatory Committee of Belarus.

Not very long ago, Chairman of the Investigatory Committee Ivan Naskevich said that "by late autumn, the case will have been brought to close”.

“As far as I know, after this statement by Naskevich all the defendants in the “patriots case’ were summoned for an interrogation within two days,” — Nina Shydlouskaya says. — It’s hard to tell whether they finish the case in a fortnight, but it should move on one way or another in any case. However, there’s no information in this regard. Everything remains in limbo, and no one knows when the case is stirred up.”

According to the activist, the state authorities are not exactly willing to admit their mistakes, so, appparently, they will try to find some way out.

“The law-enforcers will try to save face and resolve the situation beautifully, — Nina Shydlouskaya adds. — Meanwhile, what is “beautiful” for them, may turn into something not good for the guys. It would have been absolutely normal for any civilized country to admit that a criminal case had been started by mistake, that they detained the people by mistake... However, there’s no hope that such confession could happen here. So, let’s wait and see what the investigators think of now, and whether the case will reach the court.”