On 19 April 2011, Mr Pavel Levinau, member of Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Mr Aleg Barshcheusky, editor-in-chief of newspaper Vitsebsky Kurier, Ms Olga Karach, head of NGO “Our Home”, and political and civil activist Mr Pavel Staneusky, were arrested and detained in Minsk for alleged complicity in the terrorist attack in Minsk metro station of 11 April 2011.

Further Information

Human rights defenders from a number of Belarusian cities gathered in Minsk on 19 April to celebrate the birthday of independent journalist, human rights defender and former military officer Mr Valery Shchukin. At about 11 am, police officers came to the Minsk apartment of Valery Shchukin's daughter where the party took place and checked the documents of those present. Later police officers returned and conducted a search of the apartment without presenting any search warrant. Fourteen people were arrested and taken to the Frunzensky district department of the Interior in Minsk. Eleven were later released while Pavel Levinau, Aleg Barshcheusky, Olga Karach and Pavel Staneusky were kept in detention.

Pavel Levinau managed to inform his colleagues by telephone that he was being suspected of complicity in the terrorist attack in Minsk metro station of 11 April 2011 and that he was being detained under Article 108 (detention on direct suspicion of committing a crime) of the Code of Criminal Proceedings of the Republic of Belarus. The same day, at about 4 pm, police officers notified the head of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee, Mr Aleg Gulak, by telephone that Pavel Levinau had been put under 10-day detention on suspicion of his involvement in 11 April's terrorist attack in Minsk metro station 'Octiabrskaya'.

Later the same day, Belarusian human rights defenders learnt that all the four human rights defenders were detained in accordance with paragraph 1, Article 17 of the Code of Administrative Offences of the Republic of Belarus (swearing in a public place) and that they were going to be judged on 20 April in the Frunzensky district court of Minsk. It remains unclear how suspicion of committing a crime under Article 108 of Criminal Code has been transformed into administrative violation. Belarusian human rights defenders have in their possession a copy of the arrest warrant received later, which states that Pavel Levinau is being detained under paragraph 2, part 1 of Article 108 of the Criminal Code as it is suspected that “on 11 April 2011 at 6.00 pm near Octiabrskaya metro station he committed acts under provisions of part 3 of the Article 359 (terrorist act) of Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus”. It is to be noted that there is no part 3 in Article 359 of the Criminal Code.

On 20 April 2011, the trial was held at Frunzensky district court of Minsk. Pavel Levinau and Aleg Barshcheusky were found guilty under Article 17.1 of the Administrative Code of the Republic of Belarus and condemned to 10 days of detention. Olga Karach was fined 700,000 BLR (approximately 225 USD). Due to contradictory declarations of policemen who witnessed his case, Pavel Staneusky was released and his file was returned to the police for revision. The observers present at trial reported that it was held with numerous violations of court procedures. The defendants' complaints regarding ill-treatment during their pre-trial detention were ignored by the judge. Pavel Levinau and Aleg Barshcheusky are currently detained in Akrestina temporary detention centre.

Front Line is concerned about the arrest and detention of Pavel Levinau, Aleg Barshcheusky, Olag Karach and Pavel Staneusky, and is particularly worried that the terrorist act in Minsk metro station of 11 April 2011 could be used as a pretext to further target human rights defenders in Belarus.