Why computers are confiscated on the border?

• 28.12.2007, 12:18

A journalist Alyaksei Minchonak, who contributes to Radio Racyja, received his notebook confiscated for studying by officers of Homel customs office at the Belarusian-Ukrainian border on the night of December 1. The computer of the journalist does not pose a threat for security of the country.

As said by Alyaksei Minchonak, the head of the technical means department of Homel customs house told him that KGB officers had been studying his PC all that time, searching for information which could be a threat to the security of Belarus. There was no such information in Minchonak’s computer.

As we have informed, on December 1 in the night Alyaksei Minchonak was o his way home from a press-tour in the Ukrainian part of Chernobyl zone. At Tserakhava station attention of Belarusian customs officers was attracted by the journalist’s computer. As a result, the information carrier was confiscated, and an official document was given Alyaksei about that.

As customs officers told the journalist, they confiscate the computer on the order of higher authorities, as “operation information” was received. Customs officers refused to explain what kind of information it was. They didn’t know for what period of time they should formally send the computer for “studying”.