On 27 February unknown people in civil clothes detained the former deputy of the Chamber of Representatives, Siarhei Skrabets in Hrodna. The activist of the Businessmen’s Association Perspective, Leanid Nevar was arrested in the town of Rechytsa.(1-MAR-2005)

Siarhei Skrabets was detained outside General Valery Fralou’s house in Sviardlou Street. Siarhei Skrabets left the house, got into his car to be immediately blocked by another car. People in plain clothes got out of it.

The police most probably had been looking for S.Skrabets to punish him for the Hrodna businessmen’s rally that took place on 10 February. Before the rally occured, a flyer appeared in the city, which, in particular, was signed by Fralou and Skrabets. V.Fralou himself was fined in the amount of 7 million 200 thousand rubles (USD1=2200 rubles). The general thought that Mr. Skrabets might have been taken to the Leninski BBIA of the city. However, the on-duty officer in the Leninski Borough Police Department said in a telephone conversation with the Radio Liberty correspondent that S.Skrabets had not been brought there.

Siarhei Skrabets arrived in Hrodna to meet with students in the medical school dorms. They put their signatures to nominate him as a candidate for the Chamber of Representatives from the 52 City Central Electoral District. However, the commission did not register him, quoting as a reason 81 voters who have withdrawn their signatures. The voters live in the students’ dorms.

Skrabets was brought to Hrodna Leninski Borough Police Department. He was placed into a detention cell in the Leninski BBIA. The police believe he is behind the Hrodna businessmen’s rally, which took place on 10 February. The flyer signed by Siarhei Skrabets and some other people called on the businessmen to gather on that day in the Old City Park.

The activist of the Businessmen’s Association Perspective, Leanid Nevar was arrested in Rechytsa. In Chyrvonaarmeiskaia Street police blocked a Fiat minivan, in which Leanid Nevar and his wife were driving. The formal reason was that the license plate was not duplicated on the minivan body as is required by law. Mr. Nevar agreed to sign the violation report, but he did not leave the minivan.

Under the direction of their head Uladzimir Manzhos, the Rechytsa police officers removed the rear window from the minivan. Leanid Nevar’s wife tried to get the passers-by’s attention. However, the police violently arrested Leanid Nevar, accusing him of instigating mass disorder. The businessman had to spend a night in a solitary confinement cell of the remand prison. The defense lawyer told the relatives that Mr. Nevar had heart attacks at night, ambulance coming to see him three times.

Rechytsa court is to hear an administrative case against the arrested businessman Nevar. Now, he is accused of disorderly conduct and insubordination to the police. If found guilty, the defendant may be either fined or put in prison for 15 days. Rechytsa businessmen believe that Leanid Nevar’s isolation is to do with tomorrow’s strike of the businessmen against the introduction of the value-added tax and other discriminatory measures against smaller businessmen.