Labor Movement investigation ends

August 22, BPN. The KGB’s department for the Homiel region has completed the investigation of the criminal case against activists of Rabočy Ruch (Labor Movement), which in 2020-21 included former and active employees of industrial enterprises.

There were 10 suspects: Siarhiej Šelest; Uładzimir Žuraŭka; Andrej Pahieryła; Hanna Abłab; Alaksandr Hašnikaŭ; Siarhiej Dziuba; Ihar Minc; Valancin Cieranievič; Siarhiej Šamiećka; Alaksandr Kapšul.

All of them were suspected of treason, creating an extremist formation or participating in it. Šelest, Žuraŭka and Pahieryła were also suspected of defamation. Kapšul was targeted for illegal handling of firearms.

In its press release, the KGB stopped short of calling the “extremist formation” by its name.

The Committee for the State Security (KGB) stated that “in addition to committing crimes of an extremist nature, members of this formation carried out illegal activities to collect and then transfer to a foreign the state, a foreign organization and their representatives, including the United States’ and Lithuania’s special services, of restricted official information regarding Belarus’ business entities.”

It claimed that “the transmitted information directly related to methods taken to circumvent restrictive measures (sanctions) and ways to counter these methods.”

In addition, “individual members of the extremist formation planned to block production activities of Grodno Azot and BMZ-UKH BMK in order to disrupt these companies’ work and damage or destroy their property.”