28 March 2024, Thursday, 16:12
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Investigators don't return mobile phone to opposition activist from Vitebsk

Investigators don't return mobile phone to opposition activist from Vitebsk

The Investigation Committee has not returned the mobile phone, which was seized from Barys Khamaida after his detention ahead of Freedom Day.

However, investigators don't bother the activist in connection with the case over searching for legendary “Miron”, Radio Svaboda reports.

Barys Khamaida continues to distribute independent newspapers near the so called “blue house” on Lenin Street 28 in Vitebsk centre. But he has a problem with communication means.

“I haven't received back my mobile phone, which a man wearing the uniform of the Investigation Committee seized from me in the Chyhunachny district police department on March 24. He came to the police department after Salauyan and I had arrived. He took apart the phone and seized it. He didn't leave any documents. I don't know what they do with the device. They may examine the call log. The operator gave my phone number to another client, so not all people wanting to talk to me can do it,” Khamaida said.

Barys Khamaida doesn't know anything about the things seized from his flat during the search, which was carried out without witnesses. Only police officers were present at the search. One of them was filming the process. Salauyan's house was also searched in the same way. Both activists were taken to their homes for searches from the detention centre.

“Salauyan and I were detained in the village of Ruba near Vitebsk on March 24. They probably tracked us, because we were detained by riot policemen, who were watching us from a distance. We, two pensioners, were ordered to lay on the ground. One of them threatened to kill me and put something, I couldn't see what exactly, to the back of my head. They said at the trial that we hadn't obeyed, refused to say our names and so on. Judge Alena Tsyhankova sentenced us to three days in custody. An investigator visited us in the detention centre and asked who of us was Miron,” the activist said.

According to Barys Khamaida, an administrative case was opened on March 24 against Miron, a legendary activist who hangs out national white-red-white flags on power transmission lines. The case was opened on the initiative of Vitebskenergo company.

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