Preventive mopping up operation

Zmena activist Yahor Vinyatski spent three days in a detention centre after being detained on June 30, Saturday.

On July 3, Yahor Vinyatski was taken from the detention centre to the Pershamaiski district police department for a talk with police chiefs. They did not appear and young activist was released five hours later. He was told he would be summoned to a police department, Radio Svaboda reports.

“I haven't received a summons yet. I will wait for a trial. I can say that reasons for my detention were clearly preventive ahead of July 3. They fear political actions by opposition. I saw  in the detention centre that it was a preventive mopping up operation among all people, not only among opposition members. It's like in the Soviet Union. Police used to remove hooligans from the capital ahead of festivities. Now they throw people into a detention centre. I saw many people in the cell arrested for drinking or other offences. They said they could have been given a fine, but instead they had been taken into custody in order not to spoil yesterday's circus,” the young man says.

According to Yahor Vinyatski, he met activist Vital Vasilkou in the detention centre and talked to activists Pavel Vinahradau and Alyaksandr Artsybashau through a ventilation shaft.

The three activists were punished with 15 days in custody ahead of July 3 allegedly for disorderly conduct.