Criminal cases against activists of Union of Poles reopened :: Charter'97 :: News

A criminal case has been reopened against four members of the public association “Union of Poles in Belarus” (UPB). The BelaPAN was told about that by the UPB activist, one of the persons person involved in the case, Andrei Poczobutt.

The criminal action was brought up on August 25, 2005 on the statement of the director of the Polish House in Shchuchyn (Hrodna region) Viktar Bohdan who alleged that UPB activists threatened him bodily harm. Among other suspects are Jozef Porzecki, Wieslaw Kiewlak, and journalists Andrzej Pisalnik. On April 17, 2006 the investigation in the case was suspended.

“We have received notifications that the case is reopened, and in the near future we have to arrive to interrogation to the investigator of the regional police department of Hrodna Dzmitry Labotski. I asked advice of the lawyer, we discussed the line of defense,” A. Poczobutt said.

“I think reopening of the case is connected with the fact that all advanced to Euopre by Belarus have finished, and now we could expect rebound of pressure on public activists,” the activist said.

“As for the UPB, we have a vast experience of such processes. It is not the first criminal case. We know that there will be reaction of the public if this case would be taken to the court,” A. Poczobutt said.