“This is outrageous. People are kept for two days, as criminals!“

On Thursday at 11:00 am in Minsk a press conference regarding the arrest in Orsha of Belarusian opposition politicians Sergei Kalyakin, Anatoly Lebedko and Alexander Atroshchankau was held. While the police don't want to comment anything, the UCP Deputy Chairman Lev Margolin and Deputy Chairman of "A Just World" Party Valery Uhnalou answered the reporters' questions.

Representative of the "European Belarus" was not present at the press conference. However, the politicians initially identified the cause of organizational character.

Lev Margolin said the reasons for the detention of opposition leaders were not known.

- Perhaps the arrests were made ​​in order to recoup on the politicians. Perhaps in order to prevent the holding of the UCP congress, detaining the party's chairman.

Anyhow, it is "a violation of constitutional norms and freedoms." But even if the arrest took place on legal grounds, then "to remove from the train during the night - is a complete nonsense" said the Deputy of the United Civil Party.

"This is a complete mess. People are kept for the second day, as criminals! Meanwhile, there is no official information received, that is, they not even make an impression that it is complied with the laws", the deputy chairman of "A Just World" Valery Uhnalou agreed.

According to the politician, the government crossed the line, as even a list of restricted to travel abroad would not look so illegally, as a fictitious arrest for disorderly conduct.

"Illegal methods are used. Wiretapping phones is conducted: the authorities knew about the plans of politicians and watched them. This is the next step of the regime for destruction of dissent", Uhnalou said.

Lev Margolin noted, that from this point of view the list of restricted to travel abroad is indicative: "There can be no court case about which the defendant does not know. And then it turns out that the Ministry of Justice knows, and I'm not."

Party leaders also noted that the detention of opposition politicians does not solve any problem either domestically or in the international sphere. According to them, it will not improve relations with the West, but rather push for new sanctions, and the deterioration of the situation.

"Lukashenko himself is asking for it, said the deputy of "A Just World". "In addition, except restricted to travel abroad, there are other people who are able to adequately convey the position of the party. There are party members who live abroad - they can also represent our interests".

"Therefore, it's hard for me to assume, for what it's all done by the state power: the declaration of irrelevance of international observers for the parliamentary elections, and the expulsion of ambassadors, and the list of restricted to travel abroad", Uhnalou concluded.

On the other hand, Lev Margolin called the list of restricted to leave as a gift of the authorities: the organization of PR of a similar effect would take the parties several months.

Another good news the UCP Deputy Chairman named, that the detentions evidence of Moscow's refusal to support the Belarusian opposition politicians' travel ban list.

And Margolin, and Uhnalou believe that repression will not affect the policy of the parties. As for "A Just World", the election campaign will take place in any case:

"According to the decision of the majority party members, we will participate in the elections in full. But if such things continue, the format of our participation, of course, may change", Uhnalou said.

"The Congress of the United Civil Party will be held on schedule", Margolin said. "And to participate in the show called "voting" we are still not going to".

Valery Uhnalou also stressed the importance of international relations and support of foreign partners.

"When the Justice Ministry was trying to eliminate "A Just World", exactly the international support of the Leftists played a crucial role. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain contact and inform the foreign partners about the situation in Belarus", the politician believes.