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Young opposition activist thrice questioned by KGB while serving jail term

 

Young opposition activist Yuras Karetnikaw was thrice questioned by KGB officers while he was serving a jail term in a detention center in Minsk.

On October 31, Mr. Karetnikaw, who fled to Ukraine following last December's presidential election and returned to Belarus on October 26, was sentenced to 10 days in jail for allegedly urinating in a public place. His associate, Syarhey Savin, was given a seven-day jail term on the same charge.

"Camouflaged men in black masks with eye holes were intentionally present at the first questioning," reported a human rights group called Vyasna (Spring). "For an hour, they asked about his further plans and contacts in Ukraine and told him to admit to organizing disturbances on December 19, 2010 and to receiving money from abroad. Karetnikaw refused to answer most questions. The subsequent meetings were more peaceful, but similar questions were asked."

Messrs. Karetnikaw and Savin were on hunger strike while in jail.

The two young men were arrested by police on October 30 after a commemorative rally at Kurapaty, a Stalin-era massacre site just outside Minsk. They were accused of urinating at the entrance to the Pawnochny grocery store.

Mr. Karetnikaw was the leader of an unregistered opposition youth organization called Pravy Alyans (Right Alliance). During last year's presidential race, he was a campaign aide to candidates Ryhor Kastusyow and Vital Rymashewski. He was later recruited to create a security team for candidate Uladzimir Nyaklyayew.

During his 10-month stay in Ukraine, Mr. Karetnikaw established an organization of political emigrants called Belaruski Tsentr (Belarusian Center) together with opposition politician Vyachaslaw Siwchyk.

In September, Pravy Alyans announced that it had decided to abandon political activities and focus on the promotion of nationalism and healthy lifestyles and campaigns against drug and alcohol abuse. // BelaPAN