Russian nationalist website claims Belarusian blogger may stand trial for Russophobia
Website ‘Sputnik i Pogrom’, a voice of radical Russian nationalists, has published an article about the Belarusian blogger Jhon Silver who was allegedly detained in Russia in January, 2016. Sputnik i Pogrom’s Yegor Prosvirnin called on Russia to seize or even destroy Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan.
Jhon Silver created 1863x.com, a blog dedicated to analysis of the current political developments in Belarus, Russia and Ukraine, as well as Belarusian history and culture. The unsigned materials sharply criticize the regime of Lukashenka and Putin.
In the article “How Ethnic Pole Helped Belarusians Develop Anti-Russian nationalism: Morality Tale” notorious Kiryl Avyaryanau-Minski claims that the detainee’s name is Eduard Palchys and he comes from the Belarusian town of Lida.
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According to the author, 25-year-old Eduard Palchys, a ‘practicing Catholic’ and ‘ethnic Pole’ is currently under arrest in a predetention centre of Russia’s Bryansk region. The article also contains the photo of the detainee which was allegedly passed by local law enforcers to the website. The Belarusian newspaper Nasha Niva contacted the blogger’s friend who confirmed that the photo does show Jhon Silver.
The article says that John Silver was arrested at the Ukrainian-Russian border on 23 January 2016. According to our own information, the purpose of his trip was participating in a seminar on the Internet. In its turn, Sputnik i Pogrom says Jhon Silver was going to Russia to look for a job. He may face extradition to Belarus – or will be tried in Russia for anti-Russian materials on 1863х.com.
In 2015, the Belarusian online activist and founder of the critical website who was trying to remain fully anonymous was detained and subject to forensic psychological examination in the period of May, 5 – June, 4.
Read also: Belarus dissident blogger claims KGB arrests him, sends to mental home over slamming ‘Russian World’ on web
There has been a precedent of convicting a citizen of Belarus in Russia for ‘Russophobia’. Kiryl Silivonchyk was sentenced to two years in prison for posts of solidarity with Ukraine on web.
Meanwhile, representatives of the Bryansk police told radio Svaboda that there was no Belarusian named Eduard Palchys in local jails.
