Mass Searches At Human Rights Defenders', Journalists' Conducted In Belarus

Security officials came to the HRC "Viasna", BAJ, "World Association of Belarusians "Baćkaŭščyna", and Belarusian Helsinki Committee.

The security forces came to the Belarusian human rights defenders in the morning on Wednesday, July 14, reports zerkalo.io.

Early in the morning security officials searched the places of human rights defenders from Minsk Uladzimir Labkovich and Valianntsin Stefanovich. At 8.15 am, the DFI employees also came to the Hrodna human rights activist Viktar Sazonau, according to human rights activists.

Later it became known that the security forces had taken away human rights activist Valiantsin Stefanovich.

This was reported by his wife Alina. The search has already ended, they seized all the equipment.

There is also information that journalist and human rights activist Syarhei Sys was detained in Minsk.

In Vorsha, the security forces took away editor of the local portal orsha.eu Ihar Kazmiarchak, according to the publication's social networks. Kazmiarchak was already detained on July 8, then his house was searched. Three days later, the journalist was released from the pre-trial detention center.

Also, as reported by Nasha Niva, a search is underway at the house of director of the human rights organization Lawtrend Volha Smalyanka. She managed to announce this on her Facebook page.

Head of the HRC "Viasna" Ales Bialiatski is unavailable.

A search was carried out in the house of the human rights activist and coordinator of the campaign “Human rights defenders against the death penalty” Andrei Paluda. He was detained and taken to the "Territory of Rights" site, where a search will also take place.

Unknown persons came to the office of the "IMENA" charity project. "There are some people in the IMENA office. Apparently, the DFI. I don't know anything else yet," founder of the organization Katsiaryna Sinyuk wrote on Facebook.

The doors to the office of the Belarusian Association of Journalists have been broken down, there are law-enforcers there, according to the BAJ telegram channel.

According to Nasha Niva, a search is underway in the office of the international organization "World Association of Belarusians "Baćkaŭščyna".

The security forces officers are also breaking down the doors to the office of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee.

Chairman of the human rights organization Aleh Hulak wrote about this on his Facebook page.

Mediazona informs about the search at the house of Brest human rights activist Kiryl Kafanau from Human Constanta. Kafanau is a lawyer, engaged in assistance to refugees in Brest, analytical work.

They also came with a search to Mikalai Sharakh, the leader of a branch of the Free Trade Union in Polatsk.

The HRC "Viasna" informs that searches are underway at the places of Tamara Matskevich ("The Belarusian School Association") and Siarhei Matskevich ("Community" Center).

Police officers also came to the office of the BEROC Center for Economic Research.

The security forces officers are also breaking down the doors to the office of the BPF party.

Leader of the For Freedom Movement Yury Hubarevich has written on Facebook that a search is underway in their office.

Human rights activist Yauhenia Babayeva was detained in Minsk, she was taken to the Investigatory Committee.

A search is also underway in the office of the human rights organization Gender Perspectives.

Human rights activist Aleh Matskevich was detained in Barysau, EX-PRESS.BY writes. According to preliminary information, he was taken to the Investigatory Committee in Minsk.

Human rights center "Viasna" informs that today at 7.30 am the house of human rights activist Alena Laptsionak was searched, then the woman was taken to the Investigatory Committee. Also, for more than two hours there has been no communication with head of the Mazyr branch of the organization Uladzimir Tseliapun.

The Office of European Expertise and Communications is being searched, its director Sviatlana Zinkevich reported on Facebook.