English

Journalist in Babruysk complains to prosecutor's office about police's visits

Anatol Sanatsenka, editor in chief of the private newspaper Bobruyski Kuryer, has filed a complaint with Babruysk’s Leninski District Prosecutor’s Office against police who he says are trying to get into his home with no good reason.

Several policemen called on Mr. Sanatsenka’s apartment, which he shares with his mother, on November 26 and December 29. The man was not at home in both instances, while his mother refused to open the door.

“It was not an ordinary visit by the district police officer,” the journalist told BelaPAN. “It was three or four of them each time, and they wanted to get inside for some reason.”

Mr. Sanatsenka said that police also had recently visited the homes of journalist Alesya Skapintsava, as well as several political activists and civil society activists, denouncing the visits as an attempt to impose psychological pressure on the people. Or, they may have attempted to “orchestrate some provocation,” he said.

The journalist said that the district prosecutor's senior aide invited him earlier this week to visit the office for a conversation about his complaint. “I, however, doubt that the district prosecutor’s office is determined to carry out a proper probe. I think that there is a probability that I will have to appeal to a higher authority.” BelaPAN