Eavesdropping equipment found in Belarusian-owned health resort in Russia

• 5.08.2013, 12:40

Russia`s Federal Security Service (FSB) discovered hidden electronic eavesdropping devices inside a Russian-based health resort owned by Belarus` Presidential Administration earlier this year.

The Belarus health resort center is located in the Black Sea coastal city of Sochi.

The FSB, which made the discovery on January 31, referred the case to a communication watchdog, which subsequently complained to a Russian court. At a hearing this past May, the court found that the management of the health resort had violated laws but did not hand down punishment because too much time had passed since the discovery of the devices.

Statements made by the watchdog and the court suggested that the devices were wiretapping equipment.

Belarus` law enforcement agencies could not be reached for comment on Friday afternoon.

Georgy Sarakashish, then director of the health resort center, was arrested in Minsk after arriving there in December 2012 for planned discussions about the establishment`s operation. The executive, who was charged with theft through abuse of office, has been held in the detention center of the Committee for State Security.

Alyaksandr Lukashenka stayed in the health resort this past February.