BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS
DATE:
06/01/2005
Belarus KGB pressures local opposition, tries recruiting agents
Belarus State Security Committee - the KGB, is increasing pressure on the local opposition forces before the upcoming elections. In the city of Zhodzina Members of the youth organizations, collecting signatures for nomination of Aleksander Milinkevich as oppositional contender were summoned for conversation to the KGB office to intimidate them.
"The pressure on the oppositional newspaper "Naziralnik" and summoning of our activists to the Committee of State Security are connected with the fact that in the pre-election period youth activities are growing. Most of the people who participate in publishing the newspaper, are members of the initiative group for collecting signatures for Milinkevich," local activist said to the Radio Svaboda.
Belarus special services also made an attempt to recruit and activist of the Zubr movement, a technical editor of an independent internet-source "Electronic Barysau" (www.borisov-e.info) Aleksander Monich.
As Monich told to the Charter'97 press-center: I was in at my workplace. In the end of the shift a young man aged 27-30 entered. He asked the workers and the masters to leave the production unit. Thus only two of us were left in the workshop. He introduced himself as a representative of Barysau branch of the KGB (State Security Committee). He explained at once that he had been given a task to "talk" to all politically active young people. He started with saying that I am famous in Barysau for being a developer of the two well-known independent internet-sites, and allegedly the city executive committee was dissatisfied with that. He offered me to stop these activities. Taking in consideration that I have lots of acquaintances among local democrats, he offered me "cooperation". The cooperation would mean providing information which would be interesting for the KGB department, in particular, information about some local activists, about the activities of the Zubr movement, about rallies planned by the opposition (meetings, seminars, protests).
It is natural that I refused to cooperate, saying that I have no wish to become an informer. Then he moved to direct threats. He said that in case I refuse to cooperate, I would be fired from the plant and enrolled to the army. I also offered me any financial assistance in case I would agree. He offered me to help developing the official site if the town. I refused, but he recommended to think everything over once again, and to call him later. But I refused even to take his phone number. In a couple of days he phoned at my place with the same threats and proposals. During the conversation he hinted that they would find the way to imprison me in case I continue to participate in political activities eagerly:"
Source:
http://www.axisglobe.com/article.asp?article=571
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