URGENT: KGB Searches in Editorials of Non-state Media and Journalists' Private Apartments (updated)
KGB searches have been held, starting from 7.40 am in the apartments, belonging to the BAJ members Eduard Mielnikau (the journalist himself is presently abroad), Anatol Hatochyts (Homiel), Alena Stsiapanava (Vitsiebsk), Tamara Shchapiotkina (Biaroza), Hienadz Sudnik (Mahileu) as well as in the editorial office of Radio Racyja in Minsk. The same dramatic events are taking place in Babruysk and Homiel.
The KGB representatives are presenting orders for searches, signed by legal investigators from Minsk City Public Prosecutor’s Office. Among other, it is stated in the orders that the searches are carried out in relation to breaches of article 367 of Belarus' Criminal Code ("Libel in Relation to the President of Belarus"). The KGB representatives state that some materials, related to the case, may be stored in the apartments and editorial offices.
18.22 The interrogation of a Babruisk journalist Andrei Shobin has ended. He was released at 5 p.m. The journalist was interrogated as a witness at a local KGB office. The officers were interested in the information on the cartoons which, according to hem, touched upon the honour and dignity of the Belarusian president.
Two computers with monitors and CDs were seized during the search in Andrei Shobin’s flat.
18.10 Information has become available on a search in the Hrodna office of «Batskaushchyna» union, which used to host an independent newspaper «Pahonia». During the search earlier today a journalist Mikola Markevich was on the premises. According to a Hrodna journalist Ihar Bantsar, the KGB officers did not let the representatives of independent media in the office to be present during the investigative action. A police patrol was called at about 12.30 a.m. Major Vechar of Leninski police district appeared in the office to manage the carrying out of equipment. Major acted in an aggressive way, prohibited and obstructed the shooting of the process, pushed journalists aside as well as threatened them with detention. KGB officers also shouted at the journalists. The students of law at Hrodna State University were called in as witnesses during the search. In the end, KGB officers seized from «Batskaushchyna» office 5 desktop computers and a copier. The officers used a standard pretext of investigating a criminal case on the defamation of the president. Our colleagues have provided the photos of the search.
17.41 We have received information on another search in Mahiliou. Four KGB officers entered the flat of an independent journalist Vadzim Arshynski at about 7.55 a.m. The search lasted till 10.30 and resulted in the seizure of a laptop, a desktop computer, video cassettes and several issues of a
17.08 Circumstances of the search in the flat of the BAJ Board member, EHU Professor Eduard Melnikau, who is absent these days in Minsk, were found out. Intelligence service workers entered his flat, having withdrawn keys from his friends by force: independent journalist Mikhasj Yanchuk and Vice Chairman of the Belarusian Language Society Mr. Siargej Kruchkou. It happened at a resting place — KGB workers (6 people) had waited for the young people and attacked them, when they had begun opening the flat.
After that the intelligence services representatives conveyed a worker of a local communal service into the flat and began the search. As a result they withdrew computers and office equipment from the flat. The search was led by the KGB captain Siargej Manaeu. M. Yanchuk and S. Kruchkou were kept in the flat by force during about 4 hours and a half and liberated after the end of the search only.
16.53 A message has come from Pinsk. According to the BAJ Monitoring Service, the search in a flat of the journalist Aliaksander Buchek, who is cooperating with independent mass media. Representatives of the local KGB withdrew a computer and other things.
16.26 It has been just found out that the search was made in the private house in Mahiliou at the address: Chkalava Str., 16. A local journalist Vital Vasiljkou was in the premises at the moment of the search, — Mahiliou human rights defender Uladzimir Krachanka informed the BAJ Press Service. 6 KGB workers, one minibus driver and 2 witnesses took part in the search. They withdrew computers and all the issues of
15.29 KGB workers took away a hard drive and CDs from the private flat of a Vitiebsk journalist Alena Stsiapanava as a result of the search.
2 computers and a video camera have been withdrawn from the flat of Eduard Melnikau. A computer, documents and books have been withdrawn from the premises in Minsk, where "Belsat" was located.
15.25 Information about the search in Brest has appeared. Three workers of the KGB department in Brest region came to the flat, where a journalist Natallya Chuchno is living with parents, at 8 a.m. During the search, which finished at 11.08, representatives of the intelligent services took away the computer of the journalist, number of issues of an independent press (newspapers «Narodnaya Volya» and "Tovarishch"), video-, photo- and audio materials, printed production (there were 23 confiscated issues in the KGB report). KGB workers advised Ms. Chuchno to address to the Office of Public Prosecutor in Minsk, answering her question, when she may get her things back. When the journalist tried to call human rights defenders, the representatives of the intelligent service promised to call the police.
According to the previous information, the KGB workers were also interested in one more Brest journalist — Aleg Dekh, who is beyond the Belarusian borders.
15.20 Now there is the search taking place in the flat of the independent journalist, BAJ member from Vitiebsk Vadzim Barshcheusky. Local human rights defender Pavel Levinau informed about it. According to him, 4 KGB workers and 2 soldiers of regular service as witnesses came to the flat of Barshcheusky.
15.00 Homiel independent journalist, BAJ member Anatol Gatouchyts is summoned for an interrogation to KGB. The KGB mayor A. Ardabjeu brought the summon to the house of the journalist — almost just after the search, which the KGB workers held in his flat — today at about 12:45. He is obliged to come to the KGB Department in Homiel region as a witness on the same criminal case, according to which the search was made.
According to Anatol, the agents took away 2 computers, a video camera, 2 dictaphones, flash cards, video cassettes, CDs (including musical and with children tales), leaflets about BAJ, and books "Occasional President" and "Political Biography".
14.30 3 KGB workers and 2 more people came into the flat of the BAJ member Andrei Shobin in Babrujsk.
1. KGB workers enter the flat of A. Shobina
2. One of the KGB workers brings a box for things, which are going to be withdrawn
3. In the foreground — one of the witnesses, behind — a KGB worker with a monitor, behind him — one more witness (both of them are students of Babrujsk college)
14.20 The search in the flat of our Navapolatsk journalist, Chief of the BAJ local filial Andrei Aliaksandrau has just finished. The KGB workers took away 2 hard drives from the computers, having previously looked though its content, several CD and DVD, a flash card and 6 texts of the National dictation, written together with the colleagues. Our colleague rewrote the text of the "Writ", on the grounds of which the searches are made.
13.25 There are several KGB workers at the door of a journalist Vadzim Barshcheusky (Vitsiebsk), who have been standing there since the very morning. The journalist hasn’t opened the door yet.
12:50 The search in the "Radio "Racyja" editorial office has just finished. KGB workers are conveying the independent journalist, BAJ member Yuliya Kotskaya, who was detained in the radio editorial office, for an interrogation. According to the previous information, it concerns the criminal case about libel in relation to the President in cartoons of a political content, put at the site of a public initiative "Third Way" in 2005.
There was the search in the flat of the Chief of the BAJ filial of Mahiliou Mr. Henadz Sudnik from 8 to 11 a. m. Three KGB agents of Mahiliou region department — Gaishun, Ramanau, and Nikitsenka — took away the computer and several documents in the presence of 2 witnesses (students, who are living in a dormitory nearby).
Mr. Sudnik has got acquainted with the content of the writ, which gave the right for the search, attentively. The document had been signed by the Deputy Prosecutor of Minsk Aliaksej Stuk on March, 17. According to the document the criminal case was instituted according to the article 367 of Belarus' Criminal Code ("Libel in Relation to the President of Belarus"). There are certain Marozau T., Minich O., and Abozau A. (the document is written in the Russian language, therefore the initials may differ). It is said in the writ that some materials, related to the case, may be stored in the apartments and editorial offices.
Flats and offices of several journalists, who are cooperating with the "Belsat" television channel in different regions of Belarus, have been searched from the very morning. "I think, it is a planned action, because everything took place at the same time — at about 8 a.m.", Aliaksej Dzikavitsky, the Chief of the Editorial of Informational Programs of the Television Channel informed BAJ Press Service. According to him, computers and office equipment have been seized after the searches. The TV channel’s management will hold an urgent press conference, devoted to this matter, at 12 a.m today.
Number of journalists, who are working for the "European Radio", stopped answering phone calls since 9.05 a.m. today. Their phones have been switched off since that time. The radio station workers passed this information to BAJ.
People, who have called themselves workers of
A "Radio "Racyja" reporter came to the editorial office at 8.30 am. He saw three civilians close to the doorway, who showed him their KGB Identity Cards. The journalist told that he dwelt in the neighboring apartment. The KGB workers demanded him to let them in and threatened him with severe penalties, should he have refused to cooperate with them.
Another "Radio "Racyja" correspondent came to work at the moment. The person had the keys from the editorial office with him. The visitors’ attention got shifted to that person, and the first journalist managed to escape. It is not excluded that some other members of "Radio "Racyja" editorial were in the office at 8.30 am. Their phones are switched off.
A KGB search has been started in a private apartment, belonging to a BAJ member Anatol Hatouchyts on 9:35 am. Two personal computers, belonging to A. Hatouchyts and his wife were seized from them. The journalist has informed the BAJ Press Service that the KGB officers were looking into all papers and documents attentively.
A. Hatouchyts was shown a search order. The document was signed by a legal investigator from Minsk Mr. Shaban and approved by Deputy Public Prosecutor of Minsk A. Stuk. Among other, it was stated in the paper that the search was held in relation to the breach of article 367, part 1 of Belarus’ Criminal Code — "Libel in Relation to the President of Republic of Belarus". The KGB representatives stated that some materials, related to the case, might be stored in the apartment, belonging to A. Hatouchyts.
A KGB search is being held in a private apartment, belonging to a BAJ member Alena Stsiapanava in Vitsiebsk. The journalist told that somebody rang at the door. She opened it and some civilians, accompanied with two soldiers, entered her apartment.
The KGB workers told the journalist that a leaflet, offending the honor and dignity of President of Belarus was distributed in Minsk several days before. They added that they had information that some materials, connected with case, could be found in the apartment, belonging to the independent journalist.
