“Are you a member of Jeans unregistered radical organisation?”

• 14.07.2008, 11:43

It was the first question, Paval Kuryanovich, activist of the “European Belarus” civil campaign, was asked during the search. The activist was released from the KGB pretrial detention center yesterday.

Paval Kuryanovich spent more then two days in the KGB pretrial detention center. He was detained on 10 July after the search in the hostel, where his mother, sister and he live. Militiamen said the youth activist was a suspect in the case of blasts on 3 July during the concert on the official Independence Day.

“At the beginning, they saw a poster “Jeans – for freedom!” on the wall, and a militia officer asked me: “Are you a member of Jeans unregistered radical organisation?” after the search they guarded me to the KGB and questioned me. I had an alibi – I was at my friend’s house that evening. I was surprised, why is it I who was detained? They checked my alibi during two days, questioned my friends and set me free,” Paval Kuryanovich said to the Charter’97 press center.

Paval Kuryanovich was alone in a cell of the KGB detention center. He didn’t see any other detained over the bomb case.

“The authorities have apparently started to press on the democratic forces. It is another wave of repressions. They blast only as a pretext. The militiamen were more interested in my political activity. It is possibly connected with the coming “parliamentary election” and an intention of the opposition to boycott them,” Paval Kuryanovich said.

It should be reminded that more than 10 opposition activists were arrested on suspicion of organising of blasts in Minsk. Most of are members of unregistered opposition organisations.