Detainees In “Publishers Case” Released From KGB Detention Center

Aleś Jaŭdacha and Vacłaŭ Bahdanovič, detained in the so-called “publishers case,” have been released from the KGB pre-trial detention center, the human rights center Viasna reports.

According to human rights defenders, Jaŭdacha and Bahdanovič are now free. Zmicier Kołas and Bahdanovič’s daughter Viktoryia Bahdanovič remain in custody.

Detentions among Belarusian publishers and book distributors took place in February.

Vacłaŭ Bahdanovič is the founder of the publishing house “Technalohija,” which had been releasing books since the late 1980s. A few days after the security forces’ raids, the publishing house announced it was suspending operations. Bahdanovič’s wife and two daughters were also detained.

On March 3, the KGB designated as an “extremist formation” the “Coalition of Publishing Houses ‘Fund Kamunikat.org,’ ‘Lohvinau Publishing House,’ and ‘Andrei Yanushkevich Publishing.’” Those listed as affiliated with the “formation” included Jarosław Iwaniuk, Zmicier Kołas, Ihar Łohvinaŭ, Vacłaŭ Bahdanovič, Andrei Yanushkevich, and Aleś Jaŭdacha.