Back home again: Opposition politician Mikalai Statkevich released from KGB prison

Former political prisoner and 2010 presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich has been released from KGB prison today.

It is noteworthy that a day earlier, the State Security Committee (KGB) claimed they had no information on his whereabouts.

The politician had not been heard from since 24 March. The well-known opposition was expected to lead a non-parasite march in Minsk, but he failed to show up at the rally. On March 25, Freedom Day, the Minsk riot police brutally dispersed the protest. Hundreds of people – even women, elderly people, journalists and ordinary passers-by – were arrested, battered and jailed.

Belarus police against Belarusians: Brutal crackdown on peaceful protesters in Minsk (ENG video)

Ahead of Freedom Day, unknown people hacked user accounts of Mikalai Statkevich and his wife Maryna Adamovich on social network. They sent messages and posted information about Statkevich’s alleged refusal to take part in the event State-run TV stations . ONT and STV aired identical news stories about arresting Minsk resident Syarhei Kuntsevich who was allegedly carrying Molotov cocktails to the rally in his car. In the story he was called a supporter of the Belarusian National Congress – the organization headed by Mikalai Statkevich.

Statkevich was detained at his friend’s place, put into a Lexus and driven away. According to the KGB, since 2011, he has been preparing mass riots in Minsk – even when he was in prison. According to the politician, the document on initiating a criminal case was signed at 9 am on March 21.

On Monday morning, Mikalai Statkevich was released from Amerykanka (Minsk KGB prison). At the same time, KGB officers did not give him any papers on his detention and status of the suspect.

Belsat.eu