Deputies From Netherlands Became Happenstance Witnesses Of Detentions On Freedom Day

How did the Dutch react to what they saw?

To the hot topic – the detentions of politicians during Freedom Day. Only last night, according to human rights activists, security forces detained 15 people – most of them, however, have already been released. The events were witnessed by politician Anatol Liabedzka, who at that time was passing along Kastrychnitskaya Square with the parliamentary delegation of the Netherlands, Belsat reports.

Anatol Liabedzka, Center for European Dialogue:

“The most interesting thing was after the meeting. The head of the delegation of parliamentarians from the Netherlands said: in all government offices we were told the same thing everywhere, as if carbon copied, that Belarus is a democratic country, where the law rules. Therefore, the Dutch investment may easily come here. That’s what we were told there. But we want to hear it from you. And I say: I'm sorry, I am without a tie today, I am in a sweater today, I went along Kastrychnitskaya Square, where this and that happened. It took me a long time to explain to the Netherlands why only for the intention to lay flowers or play musical instruments (which is not prohibited by the Belarusian legislation), people are detained and kept under lock and key for 3-4 hours. The reaction was: first, surprise, then interest, and then horror. A person who lives in the Netherlands cannot understand this... ”

Liavon Volski, Zmitser Vaistiushkevich, Ihar Varashkevich and Pavel Arakelian are at large – the editorial office found out that news after the end of yesterday's air. The musicians were detained just before – they had not even have time to take their instruments to arrange a gala concert in the Old Town. Policemen approached Volsky, Voytyushkevich, Voroshkevich and Arakelyan, and – attention! – took them to the station to establish their identity.