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Halina Hryshkavets and Natallya Berazowskaya reported to be the two senior justice ministry officials arrested by KGB

Unconfirmed reports have it that Halina Hryshkavets, a former head of the bar and legal activities licensing directorate of the justice ministry, and former deputy head Natallya Berazowskaya are the two officials whose arrest was reported by the Committee for State Security (KGB) on Wednesday morning.

The report was made by the Belarus Service of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty with reference to the justice ministry's spokeswoman.

When reached by BelaPAN, the spokeswoman refused to say anything about the fates of Mses. Hryshkavets and Berazowskaya, explaining that they no longer worked at the ministry.

According to its website, Zhanna Mikhalevich is currently acting head of the bar and legal activities licensing directorate.

Human rights defender Tatsyana Ravyaka writes on Facebook that Mses. Hryshkavets and Berazowskaya are the officials who disbarred lawyers for defending people charged over the December 19, 2010 post-election protest in Minsk.

Speaking to reporters on July 24, 2013, Ms. Hryshkavets said that only Tamara Harayeva had been reinstated to the practice of law, while the other lawyers had not applied for reinstatement.

"As far as I know they have been provided with a better-paying job, they are no longer interested in a lawyer's license," she said. "They give some comments, make statements from time to time, I think their activity is well-paid judging by information on the Internet."

One of the lawyers who had lost their licenses commented prophetically that Ms. Hryshkavets should not "spit into the well she may still need to drink from," Ms. Ravyaka writes.

The KGB reported that the head of a directorate at the justice ministry had been caught while she was accepting a $1000 bribe from the founder of a private construction company in Minsk.

The person who serves as deputy head of the directorate was arrested by KGB officers together with her, the report said.

A preliminary investigation has established that the officials repeatedly accepted bribes in exchange for favorable decisions on issues within the scope of their competence, the KGB said.

They are facing up to 10 years in prison, while the businessman may be sentenced to a prison term of up to five years.

The KGB is investigating whether the suspects committed other offenses in the past. //BelaPAN