Vladimir Kumets
Уладзімір Кумец
Владимир Кумец
Press-secretary of the "Revolution through social networks" civil campaign
Born (1988-12-29) December 29, 1988
Minsk, Byelorussian SSR
NationalityBelarusian
OccupationPress-secretary of the "Revolution through social networks" civil campaign

Vladimir Vladimirovich Kumets (Belarusian: Уладзімір Уладзіміравіч Кумец) is a Belarusian dissident and political activist. In September 2011 he was recruited by the KGB against his will and forced to leave Belarus. He is a press secretary for the Revolution Through Social Networks[1] civil campaign and a Deputy Chairman of the Integration Bridge foundation in Poland.[2]

Early activism

From 2008 to 2009 Kumets was a member of the European Belarus civil campaign.[3] In September 2009 he became the Deputy Chairman of the Future Movement association. In the 2010 Belarus presidential election he ran Uladzimir Nyaklyayew’s campaign in the Lyeninski District,[4] and was also an unsuccessful candidate for the Minsk City Council. The results were apparently falsified.[5]

Expulsion

Kumets studied at the Linguistic Gymnasium 14 in Minsk, in the International Relations Department of the International Humanitarian-Economic Institute. In November 2010 he was expelled, apparently for participating in Nyaklyayew's campaign.[6][7] The European Commission condemned the expulsion, finding it politically motivated. The rector of the institute Tamara Alpeyeva has subsequently been added to the list of people and organizations sanctioned in relation to human rights violations in Belarus.[8] In a meeting on November 10 the head of the institute reportedly promised Nyaklyayew that Kumets would be reinstated in January 2011,[9] but Kumets left the country to avoid prosecution.[10]

Coercion

When Kumets returned to Belarus in September 2011 a team of Belarusian secret service (KGB) agents broke into his apartment.[11] They arrested him and his brother under Article 186 of the Criminal Code (the threat of murder, causing grievous bodily harm or destruction of property). At a Frunzenski District police station Kumets was intimidated and coerced into signing an agreement. Under the agreement he would have to cooperate with intelligence agencies, discredit opposing parties, reproduce information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Poland,[12] and provide information about the activities of the Revolution Through Social Networks campaign. He and his brother spent the night in jail and were interrogated on camera before being released.[13][14][15] Upon arrival in Poland he was contacted twice a week and asked to report on opposition activities. After the criminal cases on him and his brother were closed in November, Kumets held a press conference in Warsaw about the experience [16] and indicated that he would not be working for the intelligence agencies.[17][18] The next day he got e-mails threatening revenge for the disclosure. As of 2012 agents still send notices to Kumet's home address and interrogate his parents in regard to his whereabouts.[19][20][21][22]

Continued activism

Kumets now lives and works in Poland and continues his political activities.[23][24][25] In February 2012 he and his colleagues started the public initiative We Demand Answers! and he serves as a press secretary for Revolution Through Social Networks..[26][27] The campaign regularly organizes protesters in the centers of Belarusian cities, and aims to unite political activists who've been coercively recruited by the KGB, "to fight for their constitutional rights and to urge those responsible to justice."[28]

References

  1. ↑ "BBC News - Belarus: Lukashenko vows to quell 'revolution plot'". BBC. July 3, 2011. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Belarus' Revolution Through Social Networks - Photo Essays". TIME. July 22, 2011. Archived from the original on July 22, 2011. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Court considers oppositionists' complaints in their absence | Правозащитный центр "Весна"". Spring96.org. Retrieved June 20, 2012.
  4. ↑ "Всем пришёл Кумец. Визави. БелГазета. Новости Беларуси. Белорусские новости". Belgazeta.by. 2011-02-28. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  5. ↑ Minsk Gov (in Russian)
  6. ↑ "Nyaklyayew's associate expelled from university in Minsk". Naviny.by. Retrieved 2012-04-22.
  7. ↑ "Presidential duress: fears for Belarusian academic freedom". Times Higher Education. 10 February 2011. Retrieved 2012-04-20.
  8. ↑ Автор: Андрей Елисеев (2011-03-22). "Ректор института попала в "черный список" по просьбе отчисленного студента - Euroradio". Euroradio.fm. Retrieved 2012-04-20.
  9. ↑ "Некляев Защитил Своего Активиста". Sn-plus.com. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  10. ↑ "United States Department of State" (PDF). Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  11. ↑ "How KGB recruits: "Police detachment burst into our flat" - Charter'97 :: News from Belarus - Belarusian News - Republic of Belarus - Minsk". Charter97.org. Retrieved 2012-04-20.
  12. ↑ "КГБ Беларуси занимается разработкой Министерства иностранных дел Польши". Udf.by. Retrieved 2012-04-22.
  13. ↑ "Straszyli, że zamkną mojego brata". Tvp.Info. 12 November 2011. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  14. ↑ Petr Vavrouška (pev), bre. "Lukašenkův režim nutí ke spolupráci s KGB i studenty - Zpravodajství (Český rozhlas)". Rozhlas.cz. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  15. ↑ "Belarusian dissidents: How to dupe the KGB". The Economist. 2011-11-14. Retrieved 2012-04-20.
  16. ↑ Magdalena Olga Olszewska (2011-11-09). "Mińsk wysyła agentów do Warszawy". M.wyborcza.pl. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  17. ↑ Владимир Кумец: КГБ дало мне секретное имя «Евгений»
  18. ↑ "Белорусские сексоты вновь сдали КГБ". 9 November 2011.
  19. ↑ "Родителей Владимира Кумца вызывают на допрос во Фрунзенский РОВД". Belaruspartisan.org. 2012-01-23. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  20. ↑ Аўтар: Рада Новік (2012-02-18). "На семью Владимира Кумца продолжается давление". W.euroradio.fm. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  21. ↑ "КГБ мстит семье активиста за отказ от "стукачества"". Charter97.org. 2012-01-23. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  22. ↑ "Супраць брата каардынатара РЧСС могуць аднавіць крымінальную справу". Наша Ніва. Retrieved 7 December 2022.
  23. ↑ "РЧСС требует ответов от КГБ - Хартия'97 :: Новости из Беларуси - Белорусские новости - Республика Беларусь - Минск". Charter97.org. 2012-02-17. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  24. ↑ "Владимир Кумец: меня завербовали незаконно | БЕЛОРУССКИЕ НОВОСТИ". Naviny.by. 2012-02-17. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  25. ↑ "КГБ хочет "отмыться" через Следственный комитет и прокуратуру - Хартия'97 :: Новости из Беларуси - Белорусские новости - Республика Беларусь - Минск". Charter97.org. 2012-06-08. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  26. ↑ Belarus Partisan
  27. ↑ ""Revolution Through Social Network" Protesters Arrested in Belarus [PHOTOS] - International Business Times". Newyork.ibtimes.com. Retrieved 2012-06-20.
  28. ↑ "Belarusian "converted snitches" declared war on the KGB". udf.by. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03.
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