Belarus banks told report customers causing panic

MINSK (Reuters) - Belarus's central bank said on Wednesday it had advised commercial banks to inform the police about anyone who approaches branch customers expressing doubts about the business in a way that could cause panic.

Belarus, where much of the economy remains in state hands, says it has suffered few effects of the world financial crisis, but the ex-Soviet state has requested a $2 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund as a "security cushion."

"We are asking the banks' security service to monitor the behavior of customers inside their branches," central bank spokesman Anatoly Drozdov told Reuters.

"If they see someone is speaking loudly to other customers about whether the bank is in a critical position or advising against making deposits, they can ask the police for help. That person may then be detained for an identity check."

If the customer was found to have had no intention of undermining confidence in the bank, he would be released.

Drozdov said the directive was intended to avoid any situation that could create unfair competition between banks.

Led by President Alexander Lukashenko since 1994, Belarus has been repeatedly accused in the West of crushing fundamental rights, though sanctions have been eased since detainees deemed political prisoners were released last August.

(Reporting by Andrei Makhovsky, writing by Ron Popeski)