Collection of signatures under petition to release Breus and Haponau starts

Collection of signatures under the petition demanding that the Belarusian authorities should terminate the criminal case against the Russian citizens Artsiom Breus and Ivan Haponau, release all the "December 19" detainees and conduct open investigation of this case has started at the Russian web-site "Freedom for Lukashenka's prisoners".

In case of refusal to release the Russians, the authors of the petition demand that the Russian authorities should impose sanctions on Belarus: a partial embargo for Belarusian goods, ceasing of gas shipments to Belarus, as well as transition of the Russian gas through the territory of Belarus, prohibition for the Belarusian officials who are in any way connected with the repressions against the participants of the December 19 events in Minsk to enter the territory of the Russian Federation. 

Let us remind you, the case of the Russian citizens Artsiom Breus and Ivan Haponau will be considered on February 22 in the Maskouski district court of Minsk. Both are accused of participation in the mass disturbances. The Russians were sentenced to 10 days of administrative detention for participation in the December 19 events in Minsk. Having served the administrative sentence, both were arrested again, this time in the framework of the criminal case, and put to prison, on December 29.