Belarusian secret police has threatened to put opposition leader and ex-presidential candidate Vitaly Rymashevsky behind bars again if he goes ahead with his plans to hold a news conference on Tuesday.
Rymashevsky, 35, was one of six Belarusian ex-presidential candidates who were detained in Minsk on December 19 after taking part in a rally against the results of the election. He was released from the KGB (State Security Committee) pre-trial detention center on January 1 on his own recognizance, provided he not leave the country.
"Rymashevsky was summoned on Monday to the KGB headquarters and warned that his planned news conference or any other public statements would be deemed as a violation of his pledge not to reveal the secrecy of investigation," spokesman for the Belarusian Christian Democrat Party, Denis Sadovsky said Monday.
Rymashevsky was also warned that he would be arrested again if he holds the news conference in Minsk scheduled for 11 a.m. local time (09:00 GMT) on Tuesday.
Six ex-presidential candidates have been charged in connection with the street protests that broke out after President Alexander Lukashenko was declared the winner of polls in the former Soviet republic earlier this month. They could face up to 15 years in jail.
More than 630 people were detained at the rally on December 19 and some 400, including Russian nationals, have been released.
Four ex-presidential candidates remain in custody at the KGB pre-trial detention center in Minsk.
MINSK, January 4 (RIA Novosti)
