‘Armed militants’ case: Belarus authorities release some, but arrest others

Syarhei Kulinich, an associate of politician Mikalai Statkevich, was released from prison.

“I had a brief phone conversation with Syarhei Kulinich after he had been freed. The conditions of his release are still unknown, Statkevich’s wife Maryna Adamovich told RFE/RL.

At the same time, the name of another detainee in the ‘White Legion’ case has become known. Viktar Maroz heads one of Minsk-based distrbution companies. On Friday evening, the Belarusian State Security Committee (KGB) informed his father that Viktar Maroz was detained as a suspect under Art. 293-3 of the Criminal Code (preparation for participation in mass riots).

About 30 persons – former members of the defunct sports and patriotic organization White Legion, state-authorized sports and military club PatriotYoung Front activists as well as people who are not associated with any organizations, landed up in jail after Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s words about ‘armed militants’ posing a threat to Belarus.

As of April 3, eight persons involved in the case were released from the KGB prison in Minsk (Vyachaslau Duksht, Illya Hrek, Syarhei Borstak, Dzmitry Kramyanetski, Raman Vasilyeu, Artsyom Leuchanka, Syarhei Kulinich). 21 persons remain of the list of suspects. If convicted, they may face up to 3 years in jail.

To express solidarity with the arrestees, activists and indifferent Belarusians will start gathering near the KGB headquarters at 19:00 on Tuesday. Belsat TV journalists will be covering the rally.

belsat.eu, following svaboda.org

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