Andrei Sannikov Released :: Charter'97 :: News

One of the leaders of Belarusian opposition, an international coordinator of the Charter’97 Andrei Sannikov was released after three hours of detention in Minsk airport. All his money were seized under a pretext of examination of their authenticity.

He has arrived from London. In Minsk airport his personal things and all documents were searched. Though a document on his personal search has been given to him, and it is stated there that he had no objects for which import is banned, customs officers say that his foreign currency could be counterfeit. However, the money were not examined even visually. Andrei Sannikov had USD 1,040, 260 EURO, and 185 pounds, which is much less than it is allowed to import without declaration.

As said by the Charter’97, except for two customs officers and a border guard, some people in mufti were taken part, allegedly KGB officers. All of them refused to say their names and show credentials.

As said by A. Sannikov, for the two hours of search customs officers have been constantly receiving phone calls from higher authorities, which coordinated their actions. “It is clear that some provocation had been prepared,” Anrei Sannikov said.