Fiadynich and Komlik’s Telephone Conversations Are Still Being Monitored

It came to light at the trial today.

At the hearing of the REP trade union leaders’ criminal case on August 15, the prosecutor read out the script of Hennadz Fiadynich and Ihar Komlik’s phone conversations with union members and a witness, Radio Svaboda reports.

According to the prosecutor, "from July 31 to August 9, 2018, an operational search investigation was carried out. Some data were recorded."

One conversation was about the help of lawyers. The witness in the case Nadzeya Yesipovich was consulting with Hennadz Fiadynich about what to say, whether to complain to the prosecutor's office. Fiadynich instructed to go there only with a lawyer. They also were talking about the psychological pressure, about threats – at the trial, a lot of witnesses backed out of the testimony given at the preliminary investigation, because they were pressured and intimidated, and after that, four days ago, four people were taken to the Investigative Committee again.

Fiadynich and the leader of the Belarusian Independent Trade Union Mikalai Zimin were making a point in the conversation that witness Sniazhana should talk only in her lawyer’s presence.

After the announcement of all the telephone conversations, Hennadz Fiadynich asked the prosecutor how that monitoring was carried out and on what basis.

"I'm still at large and I am the head of the trade union. The conversation with our bookkeeper... You did not have the right to read it at all! 4 people came to get each of them at 7 o'clock in the morning! You say that there is no pressure, but immediately contradict to this! Could not they be summond in a different way?

And we will explain to the people how to behave, to tell them about their rights and duties during the detentions and interrogations! They do not know this, they have no legal education, and you are taking advantage of it!" - the REP trade union chairman was indignant.

In his opinion, the monitoring, made in violation of the law, has no legal force.