Declaration about those arrested in connection with the case of Russian embassy in Minsk

September, 3, 2010, early in the morning, Belarus police and special service men (“KGB”) arrested several guys and girls suspected in being involved into the case with Russian embassy in Minsk attacked on August, 30. The detention was very much like a kidnapping, because law-enforcement bodies did not release any information and for a long time friends and relatives were unaware about the location of the arrested.

Later it became known that the arrested were held in Minsk isolation ward. Belarus law says that person may be detained for 72 hours without bringing up a charge. This term expired on September, 6. However, public prosecutor prolonged it for three days more. As of now, seven friends of ours are arrested: Igor Bogachek, Valeriya Khotina, Sergey Sliusar, Nikolay Dedok, Alexey Zhingerovsky, Alexander Frantskevich and Anton Laptenok.

Moreover, today at 12 a.m. the police detained Tatyana Semenischeva within the same case. We still do not know whether she is accused of anything or was interrogated as an eye-witness.

The arrests happened after on September, 2 Belarus Indymedia (http://belarus.indymedia.org) published a declaration by before unknown anarchist group “Freedom Friends”. The group took responsibility for bombing Russian embassy in Minsk with Molotov cocktail and stated that they supported those who defended Khimki forest.

The news was soon removed as doubtful. It should be noted that Indymedia is a website with free posting, and its news pieces are created by visitors. To post anything you only have to register. We remind that on August 31 night someone threw two Molotov cocktails to the territory of Russian embassy in Minsk. One of cars parked there was damaged. No people suffered. Law-enforcement bodies of Belarus announced that they started investigating the case as arson and hooliganism.

Contacts — minsksolidarity[at]riseup.net