Mikalai Statkevich: I am being ousted from Belarus

Ex-presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich was detained on Saturday, August 26, on the way to Alyaksandr Kamarouski (chairperson of Soviet–Afghan War Veterans Association) who was in hospital at the moment. He was detained 70 meters away from his house and taken to Lenin District Department of the Interior, the politician said.

Mikola Statkevich: “I was sure that they would arrest me for 15 days since I was sentenced to it for the July 3 action. However, they told me that it was 5 days for April 30. When I asked about my 15 days arrest, they replied: “It is not time yet.” I was heading for Akrestina Street to serve my 5-day arrest and I was sure that they would add those 15 days. It would be easier to serve both sentences. But they have let me off so that I would keep thinking about the arrest, so that my wife would keep looking out of the window expecting to see policemen in the yard. Psychological pressure is being exercised on the whole family. We learnt about five punishments on August: my wife had to pay 2 fines (300 and 500 dollars), I was fined for 600 dollars for laying flowers on Soviet solders’ graves in the Military Cemetery of May 8 and I was sentenced to 2 administrative arrests – 15 and 5 days. We are being ousted from the country.”

Statkevich’s wife Maryna Adamovich sent a complaint to Minsk City Court in protest against the 15-day arrest. The hearing has been appointed for September 7, 12 p.m. He may be detained before the hearing and arrested for 15 days, Statkevich thinks.