Freedom for Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu!

• 20.05.2010, 12:40

Poet Uladzimir Nyaklyaeu, the leader of “Say the Truth!” campaign, is detained as a suspect in a criminal case.

As BelaPAN learnt from lawyer Maryana Syameshka, her client hasn’t been charged yet.

Nyaklyaeu was detained in the evening May 18 after his apartemtn and office of “Say the Truth!” campaign had been searched. The detainee was guarded to the Leninski district militia department where he spent the night.

In the morning May 19, Nyaklyaeu was questioned. The lawyer refused to tell details.

Nyaklyaeu’s wife Volha said the questioning was carried out in connection with the case initiated under article 250 of the Criminal Code (dissemination of false information about goods and services).

“It is unclear what relation Uladzimri Nyaklyaeu and “Say the Truth!”, which doesn’t conduct business activity, campaign have to this case,” Volha said.

Nyaklyaeu’s wife was told in the militia department that he would be taken to the detention facility in Akrestsin Street as a suspect in a criminal case. According to Volha, she was allowed to hand over warm clothes to her husband.

Activists of “Say the Truth!” campaign Andrei Dzmitryeu and Syarhei Vaznyak, the editor of “Tovarishch” newspaper published by left party Fair World, remain in the detention facility. They were detained on May 18 for three days as suspects in the above mentioned criminal case.

As earlier reported, activists of “Say the Truth!” campaign were searched yesterday in Minsk, Homal, Brest, Hrodna, Mahilou, babruisk, Slonim, and other Belarusian towns.

Human rights activists and politologists say such actions of the authorities are unlawful and link the events to the upcoming presidential elections.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs and KGB still refuse to comment on the situation.