Justice Ministry of Lithuania: This year Belarus wanted to receive information about 8 individuals
- 17.08.2011, 9:30
This year different Belarusian agencies considerably energized their hunt for financial information.
Within 6 months of this year 8 such requests have been received, though only one was received within the same period of the last year.
Out of eight inquiries for legal help and disclosing financial information received this year, the Justice Ministry has satisfied two. In both cases it concerned persons related to opposition. Lithuania has revealed information about human rights activists Ales Byalyatski and Valyantsin Stefanovich.
“Out of requests for legal assistance received last year only one was satisfied. This year two requests have been satisfied. Providing legal aid in other cases has been discontinued,” DELFI was informed by Vaida Vinceviciute, an advisor of the Justice Minister.
The agency’s interlocutor has not specified whether the rest 6 persons are oppositionists, in whose financial operations in Lithuania the Belarusian KGB is taking interest in. However, the Justice Ministry can guarantee that no other information damaging for oppositional leaders, had been given out any more.
“At the moment all the circumstances of this incident are being studied by a working group set up by a decree of the Prime Minister. Different institutions are taking part in it, including the Justice Ministry, the Foreign Affairs Ministry, the State Security Department, the Prosecutor’s General Office. We shall be able to offer more detailed comments only after the working group offers its findings,” Vaida Vinceviciute said.
We remind that Justice Minister Remigijus Šimašius is not hasty in blaming his subordinates for presenting information to Belarus. The Minister expressed regret for the incident and promised assistance to Byalyatski and other oppositional activists.
A. Byalyatski was detained in Minsk on August 4. He was charged with tax evasion on the grounds of information provided by Lithuania.