25.03.2008 21 detained in Maskouski police department

According to our information, 19 Belarusian and 2 Polish citizens were taken to Maskouski police department. There are 25 people in Savetski police department. The number of people taken to Centralny police department is unknown. We are trying to find out the names of the detained people.

25.03.2008 Nasha Niva journalists brutally detained

Journalists of independent newspaper Nasha Niva: photographer Andrei Liankevich and reporter Siamion Pechanko were detained near Viktory Square in Minsk. According to preliminary information, Pechanko is being taken to Maskouski police department. Liankevich was severely beaten during detention.

25.03.2008 Police begins mass detentions of Freedom Day participants

Just as the minister of internal affairs promised, armed forces of special police departments were used against participants of the peaceful rally in Minsk. The police officers use force to squeeze the protesters out from Yakub Kolas square in the direction of the Academy of Sciences. Ales Lapistki Junior is among the first of the detained.

A brutal fight started near Victory Square: armed riot policeman grab the participants of the celebration demonstration near the Place of Arts and throw them into police trucks.

25.03.2008 Bialynichy activist Aleh Miatselitsa detained

Democratic activist Aleh Miatselitsa has been stopped twice on his way to Minsk from Bialynichy. He and his daughter drove to Minsk to celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Belarusian Democratic Republic.

25.03.2008 Mikita Krasnou detained

The human rights center “Viasna” found out, youth activist Mikita Krasnou was detained by policemen at the doors of his own apartment.

25.03.2008 BPF Youth chair detained

Ales Kalita was blocked in his apartment today. From early morning police officers were on duty near the doors, and police cars stood in the backyard of the building. When the youth leader managed to get out of the apartment, the policemen ran after him. Ales Kalita was detained near Pushkinskaya subway station and is being taken to a police station.

25.03.2008 Detained during Freedom Day action (list updated regularly)

According to preliminary information, the following people were detained during peaceful celebration of the 90th anniversary of Belarusian Democratic Republic:

25.03.2008 Two more detentions in Vitebsk

Several minutes ago the police detained UCP activists Ales Pazniak and Yan Taupyha. The activists stood on Svabody Square with unfolded national flag, when they were attacked by several policemen in plain clothes and road police officers. The detained activists have been taken to Kastrychnitski police department of Vitebsk.

25.03.2008 Siarhei Kavalenka gets 10 days of jail

Kastrychnitski court judge of Vitebsk Iryna Smaliakova sentenced activist Siarhei Kavalenka to 10 days of jail. Kavalenka was arrested when he walked on a street holding a white-red-white flag. The judge evaluated the action as participation in an unauthorized rally.

25.03.2008 Andrei Sharenda tries to escape detention, jumps in river

Brest activists Andrei Sharenda and Mikhail Ilyin decided to hitch-hike to Minsk.

When they changed the cars in Kobryn, the police detained the activists. Mikhail Ilyin was detained right away. Andrei Sharenda managed to hide from police for some time. The police caught him only when he jumped into the river.

25.03.2008 Franak Viachorka detained

The plainclothes policemen have just detained Franak Viachorka, activist of BPF Youth, near the BPF office. When Franak went to a nearby café for lunch he was approiached by people in civil clothes. They showed him their police cards, and put Franak into a white minibus 9594 PH. The minibus drove off in unknown direction.

25.03.2008 Detentions in Mahiliou

Today the police detained two under age activists of BPF Youth Fiodar Tsiunin and Ales Anisimau. During the detention the guys were hanging a banner congratulating with the Freedom Day on one of Mahiliou bridges. The human rights center “Viasna” found out that the yoiung guys were released.

25.03.2008 Vitebsk first on detentions: Siarhei Kavalenka in police station

Vitebsk police detained youth activist Siarhei Kavalenka in the center of the city. He was taken to Kastrychnitski police department. The human rights center “Viasna” found out, the police confiscated a white-red-white flag, which kavalenka had with him. The telephone connection to Vitebsk activist is lost. We are trying to find out the details of the detention.

25.03.2008 Aliaksei Kashkarou arrested

The “tireless” judge Tatsiana Pauliuchuk (Centralny court of Minsk) gave five days of arrest to Aliaksei Kashkarou.

25.03.2008 UCP activists Istomin and Bandarchuk tried in Hrodna

Hrodna human rights defender Viktar Sazonau reports, head of UCP local branch Yury Istomin was fined 5 basic units for foul language. Zmitser Bandarchuk received the fine of 3 basic units. Probably, his language was not as bad. They were tried by judge Tatsiana Herhel.

The activists were detained yesterday at Hrodna railway station.