Trade Union Activist Siarhei Antusevich Detained on the Border again :: Charter'97 :: News

Siarhei Antusevich, the chair of the primary unit of the Belarusian independent trade union at the open company Hrodna Azot (Hrodna Nitrogen) has been again thoroughly searched by the Belarusian customs officers on the Polish border.

HRC Viasna learned that on 4 September Mr. Antusevich was going to Poland on his private business. On the way there and back the customs officers took from Antusevich his passport, searched his belongings and detained him for a long time without giving any explanations. It is not the first case such treatment. Prior to this such a thing happened to the activist on 30-31 August on the Ukrainian border. Siarhei Antusevich believes such attitude of the authorities to his person to be a revenge for deprival of the Belarusian state of trade preferences by the European structures. One of the reasons for this step of the EU was systematic violation of the trade unions’ rights by the Belarusian authorities. Antusevich thinks that such actions are senseless and will not solve the problem.