KGB outrage in Akrestsin detention centre

The young oppositionists, detained on far-fetched grounds for announcing a silent protest action on Minsk’s central square on New Year’s Night, said about the pressure they had met during the arrest.

“Three KGB officers visited me in the detention centre on Akrestsin Street six times. They asked about Young Front activity, threatened with bodily harm. They were playing good cop, bad cops and offered to sign a collaboration contract”, Mikhail Musski said.

Pavel Syarhei also said he was visited by KGB officers in jail. "They threatened I would be expelled from the college. They said my parents and my brother would face problems. They also threatened to call me up for military service after expulsion from the college. They asked to inform them about everything in the organization, otherwise I would face problems", the Young Front member noted.

"I was moved to another cell. Two KGB officers visited me there. They asked about Young Front activity, in particular, about Mikalai Dzyamidzenka. They promised "specially trained" people would beat me with batons. They also scared I would be drafted, but they did not know I’ve already served in the army", Dzmitry Kramyanetski said.

Former political prisoner Uladzimir Yarimenak said a KGB officer visited him in the detention centre on December 28 and threatened the activist would be imprisoned again. "I talked to Young Front activists and figured out it was one and the same man, who introduced himself as Raman. They blackmailed me and threatened I would be expelled from the university. It has been my second administrative arrest since September 1 and I was told in the dean’s office I was not a student any more", the activist said.

Raman Vasilyeu's did not differ much: "KGB officers came to me and offered collaboration. They threatened to beat me. They said I would meet with riot policemen, who would talk to me in another way. I agreed. But there were no riot police officers near, and KGB officers promised to bring riot police with them some other time".

"At 1 pm, December 30, my mother heard a doorbell and opened the door. Two men entered and ordered me to follow them. They said they wanted to take me to a special boarding school, but took me to the KGB. They threatened me on the way, also with bodily harm.

In the KGB, it they held what is called a 'preventive conversation'. They said Belarusian TV would make a report showing my parents pulling me by hair from a Young Front meeting. They said I should value my parents, because they are saint people. I was surprised because they did not offer to sign any paper. But they said I should always be on call", minor Raman Pratasevich said.

Mikalai Dzyamidzenka, the Young Front leader, noted at the end at the press conference: "I have held this press conference to warn the KGB and Interior Ministry their attempts of pressure will not be left without public attention. We plan to inform journalists about similar cases".