Belarusian activists hide from harassment in Russia

Representatives of the alternative candidates' election HQs and youth activists run away from the country as they are afraid for their personal security.

Belarusian activists leave the country as they are afraid for their personal security. There is precise information about the departure of Uladzimir Kumets - one of the leaders of Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu's HQ, and also youth activists Mikita Krasnou, Viachaslau Dzijanau and Pavel Markavets.

Uladzimir Kumets and Viachaslau Dzijanau – the leader of the “Future Movement” and Jaraslau Ramanchuk’s representative – crossed the Belarusian-Russian border at night on December 26, and then took their friend’s car, drove further into the territory of Russia and hid there.

Uladzimir Kumets says he left in order to grant his own security and the security of the others. He keeps in touch with relatives and friends who stayed in Belarus and is ready to return to his Homeland as soon as the situation changes.

Uladzimir Kumets: "I have worked with Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu for a long time, in his election HQ, I was responsible for organization of numerous events. They can summon me for an interrogation as a witness in criminal case, they can force me to slander Nyaklyaeu in some way…They are now looking for witnesses… witnesses whom they can imprison, fire from work, or force to give false evidence, afterwards".

Full conversation with Uladzimir Kumets:

Uladzimir was blocked in his apartment and failed to come to Nyaklyaeu’s HQ on December 19. However, he states that his colleagues were in the column of Nyaklyaeu’s adherents, and they can confirm there was just one car, and it transported radio apparatus.

Uladzimir Kumets also says he was illegally expelled from the university being a 5th year student in November. He adds that the teachers were forced to fabricate his academic records for the last examination session. The military enlistment office started sending summons to him then, but Uladzimir turned out to be combat unfit due to health problems.

The youth activists Viachaslau Dzijanau, Mikita Krasnou and Pavel Markavets were once violently detained at the office of the non-governmental organization “Belarda” on December 20. The police cut the office doors then.

Viachaslau Dzijanau: "They flew into the office, pinned our arms to our sides, handcuffed us and led us to the police administration… They informed us they had looked for weapons in the office. Then they made the charges on resistance to the police and participation in a non-sanctioned mass event against us. They recorded everything and took our personal belongings".

One of the actions conducted by the initiative “Citizen”. Front left, with a poster – Viachaslau Dzijanau, to the right – Mikita Krasnou

However, they unexpectedly released the activists later, probably in view of the soon arrival of foreign diplomats, OSCE representatives and journalists. Nevertheless, the activists claim unknown people started watching their apartments constantly.

The apartments of Mikita Krasnou’s parents, grandmother and girlfriend were searched on December 27. According to the information provided by the human rights center “Viasna”, it was stated in his search warrant that he had been a suspect in mass disturbances case. Let us remind you, the majority of 26 suspects are now in the KGB detention center.

In the photo: Pavel Markavets, Mikita Krasnou and Viachaslau Dzijanau during one of the actions of the initiative “Citizen”.