In Belarus, opposition journalist Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend Sofya Sapega were placed under house arrest. About it with reference to the parents of the detainees сообщает BBC on Friday, June 25.
Russian Sofya Sapega now lives alone in a rented apartment in Minsk — this came as a surprise to her parents.
"We are in shock," said the girl's stepfather, Sergey Dudych.
At the same time, Dudych cannot say whether the charges have been dropped against the girl, "so as not to offend her daughter", but the family hopes so.
In turn, Roman Protasevich was also placed under house arrest.
"It is difficult for me to comment on the actions of the authorities, they have goals, maybe he will be involved in some kind of political game," the journalist's father said, adding that the charges against his son and his girlfriend were not dropped.
"The lawyer does not say anything, the authorities do not say anything. If they changed the measure of suppression, this is an improvement of their household conditions. In the rest, what will happen next is unknown," Protasevich's father summed up.
Later, the lawyer of Sapega's family confirmed that the girl was transferred to house arrest. He expects that her fate will be resolved positively in the near future. Investigations are ongoing with her now. The lawyer plans to meet with her in the near future.
Later, the Investigative Committee of Belarus confirmed the transfer of Protasevich and the citizen of the Russian Federation Sapega to house arrest, and also informed about their request to enter into a pre-trial agreement with the investigation. This was reported by the press service of the department in Telegram on Friday, June 25.
"The accused give consecutive incriminating statements and have pledged to assist the preliminary investigation in the investigation of the perpetrators, the identification of the accomplices, and to do everything possible to make good the damage caused by the crimes. Based on this and after consideration of the appeal of the accused to change the measure of restraint, the investigation considered it possible to change it to house arrest," the Belarusian Investigative Committee added.
Earlier, the separatist mass media reported that the so-called "General Prosecutor's Office of the LPR" managed to conduct "investigative actions" in Belarus against the detained journalist Roman Protasevich.
The separatists also "opened a case" against Protasevich. It was claimed that he took part in hostilities in the Donbass as part of the "Azov" battalion.
