Yauhen Afnahel: “Militia anticipates change of power by its actions”

• 28.10.2010, 11:36

The head of Minsk headquarters of Andrei Sannikov’s team and his wife were questioned in the Pershamaiski district militia department for almost three hours.

In the morning October 27, the apartment where Yauhen Afanhel is registered was searched; at 4:00 pm he and his wife Palina Kuryanovich came to questioning by summons of Dzmitry Ramzevich, an investigator of the Pershamaiski district militia department. The questioning of Afnahel and Kuryanovich lasted for about three hours.

The head of Minsk headquarter of Andrei Sannikov’s campaign told the charter97.org website about the questioning.

“We signed a gag order and questioned us closely about the events of August 16. I told I was an applicant for the demonstration “We Demand International Investigation of Missing People’s Cases!”. I told them that I had taken part in the action and that we had been forcefully detained by the riot militia. I told that I learnt from my wife she had picked up a walky-talky and gave it back to a militia officer. The investigator asked what we had done after we had been released from the Pershamaiski district militia department and where we had spent the night.

Palina’s questioning took almost two hours, I was questioned for about an hour. Militia officers came to me when I was waiting for my turn and asked why I told journalists all information I knew. I asked investigator Ramzevich about his further actions and he answered: “We’ll see.”

I am sure that the search and questioning are connected with the presidential election, in particular with the signature collecting campaign for Andrei Sannikov. The criminal case as initiated on August 28, but the search warrant was issued on September 13. When I asked why we were summoned now, during the signature collecting campaign, the investigator said he hadn’t had enough time before. The authorities won’t stop the campaign but only anticipate it by such actions like searches, questionings, dismissal of activists, because we understand that the sooner the power is changed in the country, the sooner this outrage stops,” Yauhen Afnahel believes.

The criminal case, in connection with which yauhen Afnahal and Palina Kuryanovich were searched and questioned, was initiated under article 205 part 1 (Theft). The matter concerns a disappearance of a walkie-talkie during arrests of oppositionists at the rally “We Demand International Investigation!” on August 16, 2010. Militia officers state that it could be seen on a video that Palina Kuryanovich picked up the walkie-talkie of a riot militiaman which fell out during arrests and beating of peaceful citizens. Though the girl just gave it back to militia officers, a criminal case was initiated.