July 2, 2021, began with unpleasant news for the entire civilized civil society. In the Brest region, namely in Zhabinka, Pruzhany and Brest itself, the criminal authorities once again detained civil activists en masse.

• In Brest, Nadezhda Kruts and Tamara Kondratyuk were taken directly from their homes. The punishers came to their house early in the morning.
• A father with many children, Sergei Kulik, was detained in Zhabinka.
• Also, in Zhabinka and Kobrin, at least five more were detained: Svetlana and Vadim Aksyutik, Gennady Gurin, Alexander Kozlov and Natalya Dirman.
• In the morning in Pruzhany, Yuri Popko was detained when he was leaving the house with a child.
• Anatoly Deventeichik, dismissed from his job for political reasons, was going to file a complaint with the prosecutor’s office about illegal dismissal today. However, the traffic police stopped him. After arresting Anatoly’s car, another police vehicle drove up a short time later, from which four unknown in masks) and detained.
• The detained activist from Pruzhany, Anna Baran, came to his aid.
• Mother and daughter were detained: Svetlana and Diana Kalischuk.
• Earlier, on June 30, 2021, activist Dmitry Shchurko was detained in Brest. He is сharged of a crime under Art. 188 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (Slander). At the moment, he remains in the temporary detention centre for 72 hours. Earlier, Dmitry was already involved in a criminal case and was convicted under Part 1 of Article 205 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (Theft). For an episode with a walkie-talkie during a protest on September 20, 2020, in Brest (Dmitry picked up the radio from the ground to use as evidence of the lawlessness of the security forces and the next day he voluntarily returned it).
• Activist Alyaksandr Sherstyuk was also detained. Forces seized his equipment and telephones.
• Searches were also carried out at Zinaida Grushina and Nadezhda Kruts houses.

These detentions have no legal basis. They were preventive on the eve of the Independence Day of Belarus. All detainees, without exception, are activists in Brest and the Brest region. The goal to catch up with the fear of the civilian population before the holiday was pursued. Crimes of the illegal government clearly show what kind of “liberation” they need in Belarus: independence from the execution of laws, from human discontent and demands.

The interests and views of respectable citizens are not taken into account in the least. This is how the occupiers behave in the occupied territories. And these are not empty words. These occupiers fully confirm their definitions by their actions.

We would like to say a few words about one of the detainees, Anatoly Deventeichik. This brave man worked in the Pruzhany forestry enterprise as a driver. He posted an audio recording of his conversation with the director of the forestry enterprise, Vladimir Zholnerchik, in which he spoke about “rallies violating the law” and “dismissal under the article”. The impudent liar claimed that he would “find an article” for Anatoly, and he fulfilled his criminal promise. After 12 years of conscientious work, Anatoly Deventeichik was illegally fired.

Anatoly was subjected to repressions, which had grave consequences for him in the past. “The first time I was detained at work on November 27, 2020, they drew up a report on me, they wanted to leave me in the temporary detention facility until the trial, but I ended up in the hospital with a hypertensive crisis. A week after the hospital, on December 11, they came to my work with a search. Someone in the village had decorated the store and the bus stop. At the same time, after the search, they drew up a second protocol on the same case. The court sent the case back for revision, and on December 18, they waited for me at 7.40 am at work to draw up the third protocol on this case and leave it for 72 hours before the trial, “Anatoly told “Our House”.

Of course, we helped a worthy citizen by providing him with timely and relevant assistance at that time. ICCI “Our House” will continue to follow the development of events in the Brest region and promptly inform its readers about everything that happens. We are categorically against any outrages of the law, especially when violations are caused by political persecution of people who are civic and bravely fighting for the future of Belarus.

Related articles:

The Round Dance Case in Brest The first restriction of freedom of speech in 2022: access to the «Pershy Region» website is restricted Hostages of power: how the regime terrorises activists with arrests of family and friends Relatives of human rights defenders, activists and leaders taken hostage in Belarus Black September of proletariat activists: we tell you how the regime’s “hoax” turned out for the workers Taking the relatives of human rights defenders, activists and leaders hostage in Belarus