Procuracy Threatens Zakharenko Family with Retaliation :: Charter'97 :: News

Zakharenko family’s representative, chairman of the human rights organization “Legal Assistance to the population” Oleg Volchek receives threats from the procuracy detective Vladimir Chumachenko, responsible for investigating into the disappearance of the former Interior Minister of Belarus general Yuri Zakharenko. Oleg Volchek claims that Chumachenko attempted to provoke a fight with him right in the procuracy building, threatening to “smash him, crush him and imprison” in case the layer keeps participating in Zakharenko’s process. At present Volchek files a complaint on the matter to the prosecutor of Minsk, in which he mentions the psychologically inadequate conduct of investigator Chumachenko. “If previously I received anonymous phone threats than now procuracy does that in open,” – said at today’s press-conference in the office of the Belarusian PEN-center Oleg Volchek.

Zakharenko family representative also informed us that detective Chumachenko denied him the right to receive notification on the halt of preliminary investigation and the copy of the ruling, although the Minsk procuracy decision on the cessation of lawsuit on the matter has been passed on January 17.

Moreover, procuracy denied Olga Zakharenko and her representative the right to familiarize with the criminal case materials. General Zakharenko’s wife wants to know whether or not the procuracy steps up all necessary measures, as envisaged by the law, in order to fully and objectively investigate into the circumstances of her husband’s disappearance case.