'White Legion' criminal case closed

The 'White Legion' criminal case also known as the 'Case of Patriots' was closed on 27 November, head of the Belarusian Investigation Committee Ivan Naskevich said on Thursday.

“We think we have put a full stop in the investigation of this case," Naskevich said. “The criminal case has been sent to the Office of the Public Prosecutor where an adequate decision will be made. All the persons involved in the case are studying the act of the case closure.”

The whole thing started when Alexander Lukashenka announced on 21 March that 'dozens of militants' were detained. However, in reality the detentions began  only after the statement by Lukashenka. 35 people were arrested. They were accused of ‘making preparations for a mass riot’. Members of the Young Front were released a few weeks later while the ex-members of the White Legion were accused of 'founding an illegal armed unit'. Reports about 'depots of reinforcement rods' found in the forest, 'suicide bombers', 'blasting assemblies' and 'militant training camps' appeared on central state TV channels and pro-government newspapers and websites. As it has turned out now it was a sheer propaganda with zero facts. All the persons involved in the case were released by the end of June. The case was closed at the end of November 2017.