Viachaslau Kasinerau: We Do Not Trust Officials And Won’t Stop Our Fight

The police detained youth activists Kasinerau and Palienka for having "suspicious appearance".

Viachaslau Kasinerau and Dzmitry Palienka were detained in the Katouka park in Minsk last night. After they have pasted posters in the protection of trees, a police car drove up to them. They were taken to the Savietski district police department for having "suspicious appearance" and were released two hours later, Radio Svaboda reports.

Kasinerau, Palienka and another activist tried to paste up posters in support of the park on Wednesday. But the police did not let them do it.

"That did not stop us, as well as the fact that the cutting down of trees was stopped, – Kasinerau said. – As long as we do not trust the officials and we believe that people can defend their rights only through self-organization."

The next day they came to Katouka again and put up some banners at the spot. When they were leaving the square, a police car was following them.

"We tried to go to the other side, but it was obvious that they decided to detain us, – Kasinerau says. – Obviously, the police even had not seen our campaign, because they detained us, they said, "for a suspicious look."

They spent two hours at the Savietski district police department, after which they were released.

"Katouka has become a special object, – Kasinerau says. – It’s enough to have suspicious appearance to the be detained there."

This week a few trees have already been cut down in Katouka, where a church is to be built. Local residents and environmental activists believe that the cutting takes place illegally. They pull duty in the square.

On Wednesday Remavtodor employees beat several people, who were not letting to cut trees. The same evening, the chairman of Minsk city executive committee Andrei Sharets promised that the cutting of trees in Katouka will be suspended, until he sees into the matter.