BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

16/12/2007

Belarus KGB officers raid United Civic Party's office in Gomel

Leaflets were seized from the United Civic Party office in Gomel, Belarus, as agents representing the State Security Committee (KGB) raided the place on December 14, online paper Khartiya'97 reports.

Four KGB officers searched the office, explaining that fliers promoting an unauthorized rally against the abolition of state benefits had appeared in the city and they were looking for the source, Andrey Tolchyn, leader of the party's Gomel city branch, news agency BelaPAN says.

As a result of the 90-minute raid, the KGB officers seized 28 copies of an appeal to members of the House of Representatives, as well as 11 opposition fliers and seven discs containing pro-opposition filmmaker Yury Khashchavatski's documentaries, agency notes. Tolchyn told the press he did not know for what purpose the KGB officers had visited the party's office, Khartiya'97 marks, "Perhaps, this is their another 'preventive' event carried out as a formality".

The KGB seized six computers and three copiers from the office after a raid this past October, describing the equipment as evidence in an investigation against an unregistered youth organization called Malady Front (Young Front), online paper adds.

Source:

http://www.axisglobe.com/article.asp?article=1451