Belarusian militia hindered Lord Bell from “improving image” of dictator

Participants of a political performance were detained in Minsk by militia. Activists of the civil campaign “European Belarus” protested against actions of British PR man Lord Timothy Bell, who sign a contract with the Belarusian authorities on improving image of the “last dictatorship in Europe”.

In the evening October 30, activist of “European Belarus” held a performance at intersection of Zhylunovich and Partizanski Avenue near Belarus department store. One of the activists with fake moustache played a notorious person, he was dressed in jockey jersey and a cap of red and green, the colours of an official state flag. The jersey had inscriptions “dictatorship” on the front and back.

Another participant of the performance wearing a white top hat represented Lord Timothy Bell. He was painting over the word “dictatorship” with white.

The activists were detained by militiamen as the performance began. Among the detained are Maksim Serhiets, Yahor Vinyatski, Natallya Smantser, Valerya Krauchanka, Alina Radachynskaya, Syarhei Kazakou, Yahor Lantukh.

The young oppositionists were guarded to a Zavadski district militia department of Minsk, where they spent three hours. No reports were drawn up against them. But the released activists of “European Belarus” told to the Charter’97 press center that a militia officer hit Maksim Serhiets at chest.

It should be reminded that western journalists have arrived in Belarus on an invitation of the British PR man. The press group consisted of an analyst for Russia of the Global Insight London office, a correspondent of The Financial Times, an officer of Bloomberg financial news agency, a WirtschaftsWoche correspondent, Associated Press and Reuters journalists. The group is supervised by Bell Pottinger Group’s officer Nico de Klerk from the British side, and official from the National press centre Alyaksndr Tyareshchanka and officer of the Belarusian MFA Alyaksei Shved from the Belarusian side.