Police arrest activists ahead of Freedom Day

A number of political and civil activists were detained by the police ahead of the Freedom Day demonstration in Minsk, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports.

Yuras Karetnikau, head of the Right Alliance organization, was arrested outside the central railway station in Minsk and taken to Maskouski police department. In a telephone conversation with RFERL, the politician said the police would detain him for three hours, as provided by the law.

Ihar Simbirou, Asipovichy activist of the BPF ‘Adradzhennie’ Party, is accused of theft. His apartment was searched by representatives of the police and the local prosecutor’s office.

Four activists of the Belarusian Christian Democracy were detained by the police at Babruisk railway station. According to one of the detainees Taisia Kabanchuk, they were charged with drug trafficking.