Statement concerning Studio Totals Teddybear action vs Belarus KGB.

We contact you because you have previously written about free speech issues.

During the last few days, the Belarus KGB has interrogated and incarcerated people who have reported about Studio Totals globally reported Teddybear action in Belarus. This is not unusual in a country where reporters are regularly harassed, but we would like to draw your attention to how extremely vague and unfounded the accusations are.

It is obvious that the Belarus defence (and especially president A. Lukasjenko who recently personally guaranteed the safety of the Belarus borders) feel desperate and now act in full panic. This morning we made a statement through reporters without borders, but to be crystal clear:

Studio Total did not have any contacts with Anton Suryapin or indeed any other Belarus citizen about our action before executing our plans. The campaign was kept totally secret, also in Sweden. Neither have we communicated afterwards with anybody within Belarus, other than answering questions from media, (among them media under government control). Pictures of the action taken within Belarus were taken by Studio Total members present at the time.

Concerning suspicions expressed in Belarussian state media that we should have accepted money from ”western intelligence organisations”, we can only say that to all those who know us, such accusations are ridiculous. But, to make one more clear statement:

This whole campaign cost a little over 100 000 Euro. It was financed solely by Studio total, and we are quite prepared to prove this by showing our books and accounts, in case the KGB is interested. (We´d like to warn you though, the bar receipts might be in bit of a mess...)

Finally, we would like to thank once more those Belarussians who fight for freedom of speech. Every one of your victories is a victory for the whole world. Your courage and your sense of humour is an inspiration.

If you want contact or interviews with the pilots or other people involved in the campaign, don't hesitate to contact me.

For Studio Total, Press spokesperson
/Sigrid Dahl.

The founders have also written an open letter addressed to Aleksander Lukasjenko personally. Read it here.

ENDS