Threats to Charter'97 website

The website received similar threats ahead of the “presidential elections” in 2010.

Journalists of our website receive threats regularly through the comment system and our email. We decided to publish one of the letters that charter97.org editor-in-chief Natallia Radzina received recently. It contains direct threats of violence, which can be a ground for opening a criminal case.

The letter, which has many mistakes, is signed with the obviously fake name of Aleksei Mikheyenko (Aliaksei Mikheyenka).

“Dear Natallia and Co, stop writing only negative things about my country and its president.

You have done absolutely nothing for a normal human life in our country, so you have absolutely no rights to describe our life only in a negative tone and stir up protests in society.

As a patriot of my country and my people, I tell you RATHER SERIOUSLY. If you and your staff continue doing your dirty activity, I won't hesitate to stop you wherever you are, in Poland or another country. I'll find you and stop you for the sake of my children and their future. There are many events and topics in the world. Don't you have other things to write about? Do you want us to have what Ukraine has now? No! Whatever may happen to me, my children should not meet what is happening now in the neghbouring state. Please, stop doing you mean work. It doesn't flatter you.

Best regards, Aleksei Mikheyenko”

“We received similar letters ahead of the 2010 'presidential election'. The threats they contained were later implemented by officers of secret services. Our offices were raided two times, criminal cases were opened, computers were seized, website founder Aleh Biabenin was killed, I was thrown into the KGB jail and most of our staff members were sentenced to short terms in custody.

The situation seems to repeat ahead of the 2015 'presidential election'. A flat of a Belarusian activist in Warsaw was burgled and computers were stolen some days ago. Minister of information Liliya Ananich says the Internet is controlled by the state and the online media should serve the state. We are accused of the absence of Lukashenka's patriotism. It is not ruled out that 'patriots in uniform' stay behind such letters,” editor-in-chief of charter97.org Natallia Radzina thinks.