Minsk: Reputed political analyst Valeryia Kastsyuhova placed in pre-trial detention centre
Valeryia Kastsyuhova, a well-known political commentator and editor of nmnby.eu, the website of the Belarusian expert community, remains in custody as part of a criminal case.
She was taken to pre-trial detention centre Nr 1 on Valadarski Street in Minsk, her daughter Anastasiya said on Twitter. Valeryia’s defence lawyer had a non-disclosure agreement, but due to signing a non-disclosure agreement, he is not allowed to either comment on the situation or provide additional information on the case. It is only known that the restraint measure imposed on Valeryia is being under arrest.
On June 30, security officers (reportedly representatives of the KGB) made an unexpected visit to Valeryia Kastsyuhova’s place in Minsk; the flat was searched.
Kastsyuhova’s colleague, political scientist Pavel Usau, believes that the Belarusian authorities started bearing down on independent experts and analysts, and the persecution of Valeryia Kastsyuhova is part of it.
“After the crackdown on the space of freedom of speech in the country, they began to mop up the space of producing ideas and thoughts,” Usau wrote on his Telegram.
On June 28, Tatsyana Kuzina, a reputed Belarusian expert in the field of good governance, was detained when going through a passport check-point at Minsk Airport. She was taken to the notorious detention facility on Akrestsin Street.
