Tatstsyana Karatkevich has commented on the detention of Russian websites’ authors in Belarus. The Investigation Committee reported the arrest of Brest watchman Dzmitry Alimkin and BSUIR teacher Yury Paulavets on Thursday. They were suspected of ‘arousing national, racial or religious hostility’. Alimkin and Paulavets wrote articles out of material incentive, the investigators believe. They are facing from 5 to 12 years of imprisonment now.
The arrest of ‘the publicists’ was ‘unpleasant news’ for her, Karatkevich told Russian website eadaily.com.
"I know Yury Paulavets personally. This person simply expressed his opinion and tried thinking out loud,” Tatstsyana Karatkevich said. “I think that it is wrong when the authorities arrest people for expressing their opinion. This is incorrect.”
She does not share Yury Paulavets and Dzmitry Alimkin’s views, the Belarusian political noted. She is against ‘the transformation of the Belarusian history’. However, ‘the fact that these people wrote articles for Russian websites may not be the main reason for the arrest’, she thinks. Karartkevich has suggested waiting for official comments.