The arrest of the press spokesman for A1 Belarus in Minsk «kleinezeitung.at

As announced by Telekom Austria, the spokesperson is accused of publishing sensitive data about the company.

12:04 PM, December 11, 2021

The press spokesman of the Belarusian telecom A1 company, Nikolai Bredlev, was arrested in Minsk. As Telekom Austria announced on Friday, The spokesperson is accused of publishing sensitive information about the company. “In addition, an offensive video clip containing personal information about his private life has been published,” the company said. The State Department was “extremely concerned” about the incident.

A1 Telekom Austria Group “strongly condemns this interference with the privacy of one of its employees,” the press release said. Instead, we welcome diversity and freedom of expression in all activities.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs supports

“A1 Belarus has strict principles and procedures in place to prevent unlawful breaches of data security and investigate any potential misconduct. A1 Telekom Austria Group will exhaust all options available through legal and diplomatic channels to support and protect our employees immediately,” the telecom operator announced.

Meanwhile, the State Department responded to the press secretary’s arrest with “grave concern.” “We (…) condemn the humiliating actions of the Belarusian authorities. The fundamental rights and freedoms of all people must be protected at all times,” she said on Saturday in a statement to APA. “We are working intensively on diplomatic channels and in close consultation with the Austrian company to have a supportive influence here.”