Minsk residents defend NTV during BRSM action (Photo)

Members of pro-governmental youth organization BRSM unwillingly advertized the NTV film “Godbatka” in Minsk today.

A strange performance is being held near the entrance to Kamarouski Market. About ten BRSM members wearing respirators, face masks and protective suits were sitting on a sofa and watching television showing NTV channel.

Earlier, BRSM activists were handing round leaflets “Recommended means to watch NTV”. The leaflets depicted gas masks, room deodorants, and face masks. BRSM activists also pasted stickers “Especially for NTV” on waste containers in Independence Avenue.

As Radio Svaboda reports, BRSM members were looking for elderly people to find their support. However, they met an unexpected rebuff. People expressed their solidarity with NTV and told this is the only channel to hear the truth. Minsk residents accused BRSM activists of serving to Lukashenka and Belarusian TV channels of spreading false information.

The participants of the action said they hadn’t watched the film. They also said the picket was authorized by the city authorities.

A representative of the Minsk city executive committee present at the action avoided answering if BRSM had applied for holding the event.

We remind that on July 4, Russian NTV channel told the truth about political disappearances and killings of oppositionists in Belarus.

The programme “Chrezvychainoye Proisshestviye” (Emergency Event) on NTV channel showed the film “Godbatka” telling about the mysterious death of vice speaker of the Supreme Council of Belarus Henadz Karpenka, abductions and killings of former interior minister Yury Zakharanka, vice speaker of the Supreme Council, former head of the Central Election Commission Viktar Hanchar, journalist Zmitser Zavadski, businessman and public figure Anatol Krasouski. The film shows archive interviews with the abducted oppositionists and their relatives and says directly about involvement of the Belarusian authorities in elimination of their political opponents.