Russia did not receive "black list" of Belarusian opposition activists - Russian ambassador
MINSK. June 13 (Interfax) - Russia did not receive any "black lists" of Belarusian opposition activists prohibited from traveling abroad, Russian Ambassador to Minsk Alexander Surikov told Interfax.
"I do not rule out that the issue could have been discussed between the corresponding agencies, but no official documents have been received. But then it is something that is difficult to implement," the diplomat said. "If a person has a valid passport and a foreign visa, we cannot limit his movement," he added.
There are citizens in Russia who are denied foreign travel, Surikov continued. "If a travel ban is there, something that happens in Russia, as well, it is always known in advance. Travel curbs can only be applied by law. Lists of citizens, denied foreign travel, exist in all countries, but such lists should be formed without, mildly speaking, silly things, he said, commenting on the foreign travel ban, imposed on Belarusian opposition activist Andrei Sannikov's defense lawyer Marina Kovalevskaya for reasons of "dodging conscription" (women in Belarus are not liable for mandatory military service).
The government must be merciful to its opponents, Surikov said. "The authorities must only be merciful in matters of jailing. Order must be maintained, or anarchy will set in," the diplomat said.
"The Belarusian and Russian authorities have different approaches to jailing, he said. "No one was jailed after the rally on Bolotnaya Square in Moscow. In Belarus, people were jailed [after the December 19 unrest]," he said, comparing protests in Belarus and Russia.
"At first sight, certain parallels will be drawn here: discontent with the elections. That's all. Then differences begin. The rally on Bolotnaya Square was not a political action, but a gathering of angry people mobilized through social networks. Belarus got confronted with a political action, mobilized by politicians, although they, too, used social networks. We had a peaceful action, and Belarus an action with a political tinge, and an attempt was made to break into the government building. There are more differences than common features," he said in conclusion.
