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Belarusian activist disappears after police summons

December 08, 2011

BABRUYSK, Belarus – An opposition activist has disappeared after reporting to police for questioning in eastern Belarus, RFE/RL's Belarus Service reports.

Police searched Dzmitry Toustsik's dormitory room where he lives with his family in the city of Babruysk and reportedly found illegal drugs on December 5. Toustsik, an opposition United Civic Party (AHP) activist, was then detained at a police station for many hours.

On December 6, Toustsik was summoned to the police station for questioning. But his relatives and colleagues have not heard from him since then.

Police refused to give any information regarding Toustsik's whereabouts to his mother, who suffers from a serious heart condition. Toustsik's wife, Alena Toustsik, and their baby girl are currently in the hospital and were not home when police searched their room.

Alena Toustsik told RFE/RL that her husband called her on December 5 and informed her that police searched their dormitory room and found some dried leaves in a children's book that he thinks they will claim are a drug or an illegal substance.

"[On December 6] they summoned him to the police again and I have not heard from him since," she said. "Police say they do not have him. I do not know what to do. On [December 5] a woman came to visit me in the hospital and said that from now on our family will be included in a registry of families that have violated administrative regulations."

Link to original story on RFE/RL website

Topics: Disappeared persons, Opposition,