Homel Regional Prosecutor’s Office Refuses to Bring Criminal Case against KGB Agents :: Charter'97 :: News

In March 2007 Homel activist Siarhei Siamionau applied to Homel regional prosecutor’s office with the request for criminal punishment of the duty officials of Homel regional KGB office. The reason was their refusal to familiarize him with the materials of the investigation and search operations in the case of the unregistered youth center Hart. According to Siamionau, the KGB agents were to have familiarized him with these materials on the basis of article 6 of the law of the Republic of Belarus On investigation and search operations, whereas in their answer they stated that they had not conducted such operations towards the activist.

In his application Siarhei Siamionau asked the regional prosecutor’s office to bring a criminal case against the KGB agents who conducted investigation and search operations towards him. According to article 204 of the Criminal code, illegal refusal of a duty official to provide citizen with information that touches his interests is punished with fine or prohibition to certain kinds of activity.

In its answer the prosecutor’s office stated that there was no corspus delicti described in article 204 of the Criminal Code in the actions of the KGB agents. According to the deputy prosecutor Bulanovich, the check-up concerning Siarhei Siamionau was conducted under articles 173-174 of the Criminal-Process Code of the Republic of Belarus, not on the basis of the law On investigation and search operations.

Siarhei Siamionau still considers the actions of the local KGB illegal and is going to appeal the ruling of the regional prosecutor’s office to a higher instance.