Syarhei Shyptsenka, a Belarusian contributor to notorious news agency Regnum and supporter of the so-called ‘Russian World’, has been arrested.
Belarusian law enforcers came for him at about 15:00, Regnum reported on Friday. After ringing the doorbell and having no answer, officers turn off the circuit breaker and shut down the Internet in Shyptsenka’s flat. The latter managed to tell his employers that he was about to ‘collect personal belongings’, and then the connection was lost.
Shyptsenka is the author of the following articles: “Belarus, Russia Had Chance of Adopting Single Currency in 1994’, ‘No Vaccination Against Russophobia. Immune System Can Be Boosted’, ‘Why Belarus renounces Russia and dreams of Polish nobles’ rods’ and others.
The ideas of the ‘artificial’ nature of Belarusian statehood and the need for ‘reunification’ with Russia run through his publications like a golden thread.
Syarhei Shyptsenka is the third author working for Regnum to have been arrested within a week. On December 5-6, Belarusians Yury Paulavets (pennames Mikalay Radau and Pavel Yuryntsau) and Dzmitry Alimkin (penname Alla Bron) were detained on December, 5-6. The Belarusian Investigative Committee initiated criminal cases under article 130 (inciting hatred) against them. Paulavets criticized the Belarusian authorities for their contribution to the ‘nationalism’ while Alimkin called Belarus a ‘mad pseudostate’.
Interestingly, making a comment on the arrest of Paulavets, Shyptsenka said: „They [Belarusian authorities] may be missing [Russian] polite people!”
As reported earlier, in November, Orthodox priest Kanstantsin Burykin who gained notoriety for his pro-Russian sentiment, was arrested by the Investigative Committee for illegal actions with regard to ammunition.
