Kanaplianik released, but cannot return to Belarus

The head of the Minsk directorate of the Investigation Committee may face up to 10 years in jail.

Dzmitry Kanaplianik, the head of the Minsk directorate of the Investigation Committee, was detained on September 21. Under Lithuanian laws, he may get from 3 to 10 years in prison for smuggling arms.

– We cannot give the names of the detained persons. Let's say that it was Mr D. K., – Komsomolskaya Pravda v Belarus learnt from Elena Martinoniene, a spokeswoman for the General Prosecutor office of Lithuania.

On September 21, the Lithuanian customs service found several tens of Luger cartridges in a Honda car. According to one of the versions, Dzmitry Kanaplianik, the head of the Minsk directorate of the Investigation Committee, and his wife were in the car.

– A pretrial investigation was launched on the evening of September 21. The couple (Kanaplianik and his wife) was detained. Both were declared suspects after the first procedural actions. Part 2 of article 199 of the Criminal Code of Lithuania “Smuggling firearms, ammunition and explosives” carries a punishment of from 3 to 10 years of imprisonment, – Elena Martinoniene says.

– Where are the Belarusians now?

– Detained person can be held in custody for 48 hours. After that, they can be declared suspects. But it is not a charge. A criminal case is opened only after charges are presented. In this particular case, the accusation of violating article 199 of the Criminal Code can be changed. The couple is not in custody now. On a decision of the prosecutor, they were set free and their documents were seized so that they cannot cross the border. They can move inside Lithuania.