Russian envoy condemns arrested Belarussophobes for 'driving wedge' between countries
Alexander Surikov, Ambassador of Russian Federation to Belarus, has made a comment on the arrest of three Belarusian-born authors of Russia’s notorious media outlet Regnum.
Belarusians Yury Paulavets (pennames Mikalay Radau and Pavel Yuryntsau), Dzmitry Alimkin (penname Alla Bron) and Syarhei Shyptsenka 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’. As for Shyptsenka, the ideas of the ‘artificial’ nature of Belarusian statehood and the need for ‘reunification’ with Russia run through his publications like a golden thread.
“There is a disharmony in the issue of freedom of speech, but there is also the issue of radicalism and destruction of interstate and fraternal friendship,” Surikov said at Tuesday’s press conference in Minsk.
According to the diplomat, the detainees were ‘very radical journalists’ who drove a wedge’ between the peoples of Belarus and Russia.
“Yes, they are Belarusian citizens, their case is in the Belarusian juducual field, but we doubt that these people are real patriots of the country they live in and which they are citizens of. Such wording as ‘pseudostate’, ‘pseudonation’ do not honor any citizen, including journalists of the country,” Surikov stressed.
However, in his view, one should have a good look through the case:
“There are a lot of questions. And all the agencies engaged should investigate into it without getting involved in the issue of freedom of speech and then take appropriate decisions.”
