BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

30/12/2007

Belarus KGB department in Gomel turns down persecution complaint from journalist

The Gomel regional department of the State Security Committee (KGB) of Belarus has turned down a complaint from a local journalist against his persecution. The department replied that KGB officers are authorized to interview people for collecting primary information, news agency BelaPAN reports.

AIA also reported that on November 23, KGB officers arrived at the home address of Sergei Podsasonny to bring him to the KGB department and interview about his alleged work with Warsaw-based Belsat TV channel broadcasting to Belarus. The journalist complained about the incident to the regional prosecutor's office that redirected the complaint to the KGB. On December 5, a KGB officer approached Padsasonny in the central park as he thought that the journalist was watching him. The officer was shouting and threatening to take the journalist to the KGB department "where they would "deal with" him. Podsasonny managed to attract the attention of passers-by and escape; he reported the incident to the prosecutor's office as well, BelaPAN says.

Source:

http://www.axisglobe.com/article.asp?article=1460