More than 60 opposition activists detained near Barysau

More than 60 youth activists were detained near Barysau (the Minsk region) by riot militia.

The young people were having rest and participated in a role playing game “Youth republic” – they learnt principles of a democratic country, learnt how to carry out political reforms and run in electoral campaigns. The event was organised with the help of the “European Belarus” civil campaign.

On 26 July riot militiamen came to the place where tent town was situated. As Baryssau human rights activists said to the Charter’97 press center, militiamen told they had received a telephone call saying representatives of “radical youth” had gathered near Barysau.

All detained people were guarded to the Barysau militia department. As activist of the “European Belarus” civil campaign Zmitser Barodka said, activists had their identities established, fingerprints and explanations taken and in the militia department. Administrative reports on violation of fire security (building fire in forest) were drawn up. This offence is punished by fines. All detained activists were released from militia department in the evening.

The “European Belarus” civil campaign (www.europeanbelarus.org) unites people, standing for the European way of development of Belarus. An objective of the campaign is independence security and successful development of the country, what is possible only by integration of Belarus to the EU. The “European Belarus” civil campaign was announced in Minsk on 24 January 2008 by Andrei Sannikov, retired deputy minister of foreign affaires and international coordinator of Charter’97, Mikhail Marynich, political prisoner and former minister of foreign economy of Belarus, Mikola Statkevich, head of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Narodnaya Hramada) and Viktar Ivashkevich, deputy head of the Belarusian Popular Front party. “Jeans for Freedom” civil campaign, the Young Front, and “For Freedom” civil campaign (do not confuse with the “For Freedom” movement) are active participants of the “European Belarus”.