Ad agency that dropped teddy bears in Belarus rejects KGB summons

A SWEDISH advertising agency that dropped hundreds of teddy bears carrying pro-human rights messages into Belarus has rejected a summons for questioning by the former Soviet republic’s KGB security agency.

Instead, Studio Total offered yesterday to discuss the matter directly with the country’s president, Alexander Lukashenko, and invited him to Sweden.

On Friday the KGB summoned three members of Studio Total – co-founders Tomas Mazetti and Per Cromwell, and Hannah Frey – to explain their “illegal crossing” by light aircraft into Belarus. The summons threatened them with fines, six-month prison terms or ­“corrective labour” unless they appeared within ten days.

The group’s teddy bear stunt on 4 July infuriated Mr Lukashenko, who sacked two generals over linked security issues.

It also added stress to already deteriorating diplomatic relations between Stockholm and Minsk. Belarus this month effectively expelled the Swedish ­ambassador and ordered Sweden to close its embassy in Minsk over what Stockholm said was its push for human rights.

“Threatening someone with ‘corrective’ work if they don’t accept your invitations is considered bad manners,” the Swedish team wrote in a sarcastic open letter to Mr Lukashenko.

The team said they had received threats by e-mail and telephone since the bear stunt and that “all trails” point to the KGB.

“All these small issues have made us lose our appetite to come and visit you,” they wrote, suggesting instead that Mr Lukashenko come to Sweden.

The KGB said it wants the Swedes to participate in its “investigative actions” to help it decide how to deal with two Belarussian men accused of aiding the Swedes.