Perspektyva Chairperson Detained in Minsk

On July 1 Minsk police detained Anatol Shumchanka, head of the Entrepreneurs’ Association “Perspektyva”. The incident took place on Rakawski Kirmash market. Head of Perspektyva came to the market to help market vendor Lilia Shymanovich protect her rights. The market administration began to persecute Lilia, who participated in the entrepreneurs’ strike in support of the MPs’ on hunger strike.
Lilia was told the shop rental contract had been cancelled. Shumchanka’s initiative to return the shop to the association activist was stopped violently. Lilia Shymanovich is shocked: “All of a sudden some strangers burst in and knock him down. They twist his arms, kick him violently and drag him to the basement to the office of the market security guards. This was terrifying”.
It turned out Shumchanka had been attacked by the market security guards. “Rakawski Kirmash” director Alexander Sinkow believes, Shumchanka is guilty of the incident: “Shumchanka distorted the facts. He accused the administration of the enterprise I am heading of many facts. He and his people collected signatures among some shop assistants, who did not have the status of an entrepreneur. As it turned out, the signatures were collected unofficially”.
The market security guards kept Shumchanka in the basement for about an hour. The market administration ignored the demands of market vendors to release their leader. Only after a police officer arrived to the place of the incident Shumchanka was let go.