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Two opposition politicians prevented from crossing border into Lithuania

 

Syarhey Kalyakin and Viktar Karnyayenka, co-chairpersons of the Campaign for Fair Elections, were prevented from crossing the border into Lithuania on Saturday evening.

Mr. Kalyakin, leader of the “Spravedlivy Mir” (Just World) Belarusian Party of the Left, and Mr. Karnyayenka, a prominent activist of the Movement for Freedom, were traveling by car to Vilnius to meet with foreign partners.

At the Kamenny Loh border checkpoint, Belarusian border guards took away their passports and returned them after 15 minutes without a note left on them, but said that Messrs. Kalyakin and Karnyayenka were not allowed to go abroad.

“The officers did not explain the reason, but the incident proves that the Belarusian authorities have really drawn up a list of individuals banned from leaving the country,” Mr. Kalyakin told BelaPAN. “We believe that the authorities flagrantly violated our right to freedom of movement. We had not been notified of any travel restrictions.”

On March 7, Anatol Lyabedzka, leader of the opposition United Civic Party, was also banned from crossing the border at the Kamenny Loh checkpoint. He had the foreign travel permit on his passport cancelled and was not given any explanation.

Talking to reporters in Minsk on March 1, Pavel Radzivonaw, a departmental head at the Prosecutor General’s Office, said that persons calling on foreign states and international organizations to impose economic and other sanctions against Belarus might be subjected to a temporary ban on foreign travel and even to criminal prosecution. There may be grounds for criminal proceedings and travel bans if the government finds that damage has been caused to the image of the state, its economic or political interests, Mr. Radzivonaw said. In this event, authorities may use all restrictive measures provided for by law, including a temporary ban on foreign travel, he warned. // BelaPAN