Prosecutor General’s Office of Belarus has opened a case against Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Former presidential candidate is accused of preparing an act of terrorism, BelTA informs.
Prosecutor General’s Office opened a criminal case under Article 289 of the Criminal Code (“Preparation of a terrorist act”) against Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya and the initiative BYPOL.
“Several days ago the mentioned persons tried to carry out explosions and arson on the territory of the capital and other cities. Maleichuk who was detained red-handed has already testified about the organizers and participants of the attack,” said Prosecutor General Andrei Shved.
The Prosecutor General also clarified that “the organizers had plans to accuse the state authorities of committing acts that put people at risk”.
“No one laughs at jokes about Nick and Mike anymore, so the Prosecutor General’s Office suggests a new meme,” said Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s press service commenting the criminal case on the alleged preparation of terrorist attacks.
The Interior Ministry also reported that law enforcers had detained a former contract serviceman who had leaked information to BYPOL operatives.
A 24-year-old resident of Mahiliou voblast, who intended to participate in riots and commit crimes against the state, was detained. The young man resisted and had a knife with him.
“Until last fall, the detainee served under contract in Vitsebsk and repeatedly traveled abroad for exercises in special operations forces. However, he was dismissed for his destructive views and participation in street protests,” reports the Interior Ministry.
Later, the young man allegedly contacted via a telegram channel with the BYPOL initiative, sent information and received orders from the former security forces.
The Interior Ministry also writes that the detainee sought to put pressure on police officers to stop dispersing the protests, and “is even now ready for radical measures, including the use of weapons”.
On March 24, the BYPOL initiative warned the public that the authorities were preparing terrorist attacks. This would allow them to blame the public and impose an emergency regime. According to BYPOL sources, on March 25, in order to discredit the protest movement and completely eliminate it, the forces of the State Security Committee were preparing a terrorist attack in a building of the internal affairs bodies.
On March 26, the Interior Ministry’s official Telegram channel reported that security forces had prevented the attack, and that alleged traces of the planned attacks lead to the BYPOL initiative.
Former law enforcement officials also responded.
“We thwarted the authorities’ plans to carry out a terrorist attack. In response, they blamed us for preparing it. The important thing is that we saved people’s lives.”
