Independent journalists detained for “illegal” shooting

A group of independent correspondents spent 5 hours in a militia department. Besides a colonel, ideological officers of the region executive commission spoke with them.

Correspondents were working on the theme activity of Muslim community in Brest. Ten minutes after shooting began behind a dwelling house on Heroyam Abarony Street, two officers from the department of internal affairs came up. They explained their visit to the remote site with a telephone call of dwellers of the house No 74. Allegedly, they were concerned that unauthorised shooting with Chechens was organised, Bulletinonline reports.

The internal affairs department of the Leninski District referred to the fact the correspondents had no accreditation. They didn’t listen that an operator was an individual entrepreneur and had right to shoot on legal grounds. They didn’t know about a militia decree, Constitution and Law on Press, guarantying right to receive, keep and give full, precise and up-to-date information on activity of state bodies, public associations, political, economic, cultural and international life. They are apparently not familiar with freelance notion.

– It is an absurd situation, – human rights activist Uladzimir Vyalichkin explained. – Militia officers acted unlawfully, beginning with detention up to 5 (!) hours and ending with drawing reports. It was another awkward attempt to fish some compromising information out of them.

The reporters had a meeting with representatives of some departments of the region executive committee: one on religions and nationalities, press and media and ideological department. The officials interested whom for and what purpose with the material was shot. By the way, lawyer Raman Kislyak wasn’t allowed to the meeting. The officials said his presence is prohibited before trial.

A report on refusal to give evidence on the situation was drawn up against the operator, and 2 miniDV cassettes were seized.