Oppositionist held in narrow cell overnight

An activist of the Movement for Freedom Jan Mielnikau was detained by police in the evening on 2 May.

He spent a night at a police station. The activist is being accused of alleged participation in an unauthorized mass event – an action of solidarity, the human rights center Viasna reports.

The trial will be held today.

It is the third time the activist is being detained lately. On 25 March Mielnikau was detained for a white-red-white flag with which he congratulated Minsk residents on the Freedom Day. A judge of Minsk Soviet district’s court Aksana Ralava accused him of violating the part 2 of the article 23.34 of the Administrative Code (holding an unauthorized action) and sentenced him to a fine of 22 basic units.

On 26 April he was detained during Charnobyl Way, authorized by the authorities, and taken to Soviet district’s police department, and then released later.