Barys Khamajda: “They have beaten my brother, but wanted to take revenge upon me”

Vitsebsk oppositionist Barys Khamajda has told to Radio Svaboda that his brother Vyachaslau was assaulted. He does not exclude that in this way old threats of supporters of the pro-Nazi “Russian National Unity” (RNE) have been realized.

As described by Vyachaslau Khamajda, a young guy aged about 20 attacked him when he returned from his dacha (weekend house). He kicked him, made his face bleed, and all this was done in silence, without any explanations. In the police department of Vitsebsk district a criminal action was brought up.

Barys Khamajda recalls that in autumn last year unknown hooligans battered an 18-year-old son of a member of the Conservative Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front Yan Dzyarzhautsau. A day before the crime, Khamajda and Dzyarzhautsau, as well as two more members of the Conservative Christian Party Belarusian Popular Front Yan Taupyha and Syarhei Kavalenka received a letter with threats from Vitsebsk branch of the “Russian National Unity”.

After that Barys Khamajda received another letter with threats from the RNE branch. He was promised a reprisal for distribution of an independent newspaper “Kurjer iz Vitsebska”. Mr. Khamajda thinks it is possible that beating of his brother is a realization of threats or an attempt to intimidate him for his oppositional activities.

Letters sent on behalf of the RNE have been received by Vitsebsk activist many times. Addresses to police and the KGB were futile. In written answers law-enforcers wrote that the RNE is an organisation not registered in Belarus, so it is impossible to find its members of supporters.