Russian Ombudswoman Hopes Situation With Russians Detained In Belarus To Be Resolved Soon

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th August, 2020) Russian Ombudswoman Tatyana Moskalkova expressed hope on Friday that the situation with returning 33 Russian citizens detained in Belarus before the presidential election will be resolved soon.

On Wednesday, the Russian Embassy in Minsk said that it was making every effort to ensure that the 33 detained Russians could return home as soon as possible.

"I am following this situation and hope that it will be resolved positively, because in the public space, we have not been able to hear any evidence of their guilt in a serious crime, in terrorism. We are aware of the negotiations on this issue between the leaders of Belarus and Russia, and we hope that they will resolve this misunderstanding and the two sister nations will continue to develop cooperation in the humanitarian and human rights spheres based on mutual trust," Moskalkova told reporters.

In late July, Belarus said it had detained 33 Russian citizens and claimed that they were members of a private military company. Belarusian investigators said they suspect those detained to have been involved in preparing unrest in the country ahead of the upcoming presidential vote. The Russian presidential spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said that the detainees were likely to be working for a private security firm, and were in Belarus in transit and did not break any laws.