Mass Detentions At Action Of Liberation And Solidarity In Minsk (Video, Online)

28 people have been detained during Minsk action.

The action of liberation and solidarity, initiated by Mikalai Statkevich at 1 pm today near the “Park Chaliuskintsau” metro station in Minsk, ended in brutal detentions.

The participants of the action planned to put flowers to the monument to the Soviet soldiers in the Talbukhin Street, and then – to the memorial cross to the victims of the Stalin repression, which is located in the center of the Chaliuskintsau Park. Also, the participants of the action were going to support political prisoners (including the defendants in the so-called “trade unions case”), and the protest against the restaurant in Kurapaty.

One of the leaders of the Belarusian National Congress Mikalai Statkevich was arrested near his house on the eve of the action. The politician was taken to the Leninski district police station in Minsk.

Charter97.org held live text coverage of the action. The video materials have been provided by Belsat and Radio Liberty.

13.40 The live coverage is over. Thank you for being with us!

13.27 A passer-by, who approached one of the paddy wagons and tried to speak with the detainees, has been detained.

13.20 Police officers are taking away the stuff that remained after the detentions, from the Talbukhin Boulevard: a boom box, posters, fishing rods, a dummy head in a Nazi cap.

13.15 A priest of the Belarusian Autocephalous Church and a random passer-by have been detained. The detainees are chanting "Shame!" in the paddy wagon.

13.13 Another participant of the action, who defended Kurapaty before, is also detained.

13.02 Plain-clothed policemen detained Nina Bahinskaya and brutally took her away from the Talbukhin Boulevard. The activist tried to sit down on the asphalt, but the policemen pushed her into the paddy wagon.

13.01 Nina Bahinskaya has come to the action. “There is foreign occupation going on in our country,” - she said.

12.59 Activist of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (People’s Hramada) Valiantsin Trokski, who brought flowers to the monument to the Soviet soldiers, is being detained.

12.58 Meanwhile, the military vehicles are going down the avenue.

12.57 Secretary General of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (People’s Hramada) Siarhei Sparysh is being detained. The activist is holding a poster “History of Germany is a copy of the History of Belarus”. The activist is chanting “Hitler Kaputt”.

12.56 „We want the country to have a completely different order. We protest against the regime that rules the country. Belarus is now under the threat of occupation, and we as patriots can not allow this. 9.5 million are composed of each of us. And we will prove ourselves to achieve victory,’’ - said one of the participants of the action.

12.53 The first participants of the action, who managed to break through the traffic policemen and the plain-clothed agents, have gathered near the Chaliuskintsau park.

12.51 “European Belarus” activist Maxim Viniarski has been detained just now!” - the BNC representative from Maladechna, who is participating in the action, told the journalists.

12.50 Independent observers representing the “Viasna” human rights center, who have come to observe the action, are being detained by plain-clothed police officers.