Maryna Adamovich: Mikalai Statkevich Arrested in Full View of Euronews

Within a week the police were on day-and-night duty near the house of one of BNC (Belarusian National Congress) leaders.

Maryna Adamovich, the civil rights defender and wife of one of BNC leaders Mikalai Statkevich, informs Charter97.org:

- During a week our house was beset from all sides. Blue minivans were on day-and-night duty. I'm not exaggerating.

All this time we had no connection. Last year they blocked me and my son, this year all neighbours and even acquaintances who live far from us have noted no connection during three hours.

This morning neighbours informed that all entrances to our village were blocked by the traffic police. I think that the police wanted not to let journalists in, and they succeeded. Operator and journalist of Belsat did not meet us; they were detained allegedly for ID check.

A police car was near our house. A few meters away notorious blue minivans were parked. It is noteworthy that the financial state of the police has significantly improved. Now they drive Mercedes instead of previous Volkswagen cars.

In general, police cars were parked with started engines in front of our house. Somehow, Euronews ENG crew managed to reach us and as soon as Mikalai tried to leave the house, he was detained in full view of the crew. I also got into a police car.

We were transported to the Leninski Police Department. Mikalai had a "preventive conversation" and was informed that he might repeatedly experience a preventive search. Then we were delivered to Akrestsina.

We wanted to know what Mikalai was accused of. It was said that the husband had been sentenced to 10-day arrest in late October.

I had to remind them of rules of the Administrative Code. According to it, an administrative punishment can be exercised within two months. In general, we repeatedly stated that policemen violated the law, the procedure for exercise of administrative punishments, but they do not care about such things. Later I was released and Mikalai was detained.

It will be recalled that on March 25, Freedom Day, people who came to participate in the "March of Decency and Freedom" were arrested across the country.