Na meer dan een maand te hebben vastgezeten, zijn Anton Suryapin en Serge Basharimov  17 augustus op borgtocht vrijgelaten. Ze riskeren nog steeds een gevangenisstraf van maximaal 7 jaar op beschuldiging van betrokkenheid bij de de “teddybeer stunt” van de Zweedse activisten.

Bron: Amnesty International

On 17 August, the KGB (State Security Agency) of the Republic of Belarus distributed a statement that Anton Suryapin and Syarhei Basharimau had been released on bail. They were charged in connection with an incident on 4 July 2012 after two representatives of the Swedish advertising company, Studio Total, crossed the Belarusian border in a single-engine aircraft dropping approximately 900 teddy bears on parachutes carrying placards calling for freedom of expression in Belarus. Both men are accused under Article 16 (“participation in a crime”) and Article 371 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus (“illegal crossing of the state border of the Republic of Belarus”), and could face up to seven years in prison.

Anton Suryapin, 20, a student at Belarus State University’s journalism school, was released around 6.30 pm on 17 August under bail conditions stating that he cannot leave his home city of Slutsk, south of Minsk, without permission from the KGB, and must not disclose any information in relation to the investigation. He was arrested on 13 July. His arrest is the result of his uploading on the Belarusian News Photos website photographs of the teddy bears dropped from the plane. Anton Suryapin maintains that he received the photographs from an anonymous source.

Syarhei Basharimau, who manages rental apartments in Minsk, was detained on 6 July under suspicion of helping the Swedish individuals cross the border illegally. He had arranged an apartment for two of the pilots’ associates, who travelled to Minsk before the stunt and left immediately afterwards. Studio Total denounced the arrests and said that neither of the men had any connection or knowledge of the proposed stunt.

Please write immediately in Belarusian, Russian or your own language:

Calling on the authorities to drop the charges against Anton Suryapin and Syarhei Basharimau immediately;

Urging them to guarantee the right to freedom of expression in line with their international human rights obligations, including Article 19 of the International Covenant of Civil and Political Rights.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS BEFORE 1 OCTOBER 2012 TO:

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President

Alyaksandr Lukashenka

Administratsia Prezidenta Respubliki Belarus

ul.Karla Marksa 38

220016 Minsk, Belarus

Fax: +375 17 226 06 10/ +375 17 222 38 72

Email: contact@president.gov.by

Salutation: Dear President Lukashenka

General Prosecutor

Alyaksandr Koniuk

ul. Internatsionalnaya 22

220050 Minsk, Belarus

Fax: +375 17 226 42 52 (Please say “fax” clearly if someone

answers)

Email: info@prokuratura.gov.by

Salutation: Dear General Prosecutor