Democratic activists were met from the prison by Slovak Embassy Head

Democratic activists Zmiter Barodka and Leanid Navitski, Mikita Sasim and Sviatlana Harahavik were released, from the remand jail in Akrestin Street 16 October on Belarusian Solidarity Day. The oppositionists were sentenced to 15 days of arrest ahead of the European March. The oppositionists were met by dozens of youth activists, relatives, human rights activists, journalists and Charge d’Affaires of Slovakia Lubomir Rehak. It should be reminded that Embassy of Slovakia represents the European Union in Belarus.

The Slovak diplomat didn’t only meet the oppositionists but took Zmiter Barodka and Leanid Navitski from the remand jail in diplomatic car.

“It was my own initiative. I wished these people would not be accused of using obscene language, I wished they would go home and see their children”, - Lubomir Rehak said in an interview to Charter’97 press center.

It should be reminded that while Zmiter Barodka was sitting in prison his wife Valiantina bore twins. Now he is a father of three children. Leanid Navitski has two children.

The European March organizing committee member Zmiter Barodka, democratic activist Leanid Navitski and human rights activist Sviatlana Harahavik were detained 1 October near the Minsk Tractor Plant. Their 2 cars were stopped by GAI staff. The militiamen sat in their cars and drove them to Central Internal Affairs Department of Minsk. Before the trial the detained could become acquainted with the reports. There was said that the activists were being supposedly detained by military forces staff (former OMON) in Zaslauskaya Street. The oppositionists were supposedly spreading the news-papers and answered with obscene language to the remarks of the OMON staff. But at the same time the activists were in absolutely different place – near the Minsk Tractor Plant, where they were detained.

1 October, on the day of his new arrest, Leanid Navitski was released from the remand jail in Akrestin Street after 10 days of arrest. He was detained 100 EU flags but convicted under the article “hooliganism”. So, the oppositionist had spent more than 25 days in succession behind the bars.

Mikita Sasim was detained on the European March’s eve and sentenced to 15 days of arrest. The militiamen accused him of using obscene language. In total, 50 oppositional activists were arrested before the march.