Mass detentions in Minsk center

Riot militia forces were thrown in Minsk center in the evening May 8. Many people, both opposition activists and passers-by, were detained.

The Charter’97 press center learnt from Artur Finkevich, leader of the “Young Belarus” organization. According to him, dozens rot militiamen arrive to October square at 5.30 p.m. They began to arrest people walking in Minsk center. They detained youngsters who usually meet at Kastrychnitskaya metro station, near “Tsentralny” supermarket and the McDonald’s restaurant.

“I was going to a drugstore with my girlfriend. Riot militiamen in mufti caught me when I was walking by McDonald’s, guarded me to a militia station at Kastrychnitskaya metro station. It was full with people – there were 25 or 30 people. Someone had a guitar, someone did shopping... There were 6 “Young Belarus” activists, the rest were just passers-by,” Finkevich told.

According to the opposition activist, people were kept in the militia station till 7.00 p.m., their passport details were written down, and they were set free. All people were said in a menacing tone they shouldn’t go on May 9 to the square, where war veterans rally in the presence of Alyaksandr Lukashenka would be held.

During the detention, a man in mufti hit “Young Belarus” activist Anastasiya Mashchova in her stomach. Militiamen called an ambulance. Anastasiya was taken to hospital. After medical examination she was permitted to go home.

The authorities are likely to have scared actions of solidarity could go on in Minsk center. Rallies of solidarity with political prisoners, one of them, Mikalai Autukhovich, has been on protest hunger strike since April 16, have been held in Minsk since May 1. Every of these rallies were dispersed by militia.

On May 7, some hundreds of people went to October square of Minsk with portraits of Yury Zakharanka, disappeared 10 years ago, and portraits of political prisoners Mikalai Autukhovich, Yury Lyavonau, and Uladzimir Asipenka. Riot militia was thrown against the participants of the memory rallies. Dozens of oppositionists were beaten and arrested ahead and after the rally.

It was announced yesterday rallies on October square would be stopped for a time, but protests demanding to release political prisoners would be held every day in different places of the city.