Independent journalist detained for interviewing European Belarus leader

A journalist interviewing Andrei Sannikov was detained by militia in the center of Minsk.

As Andrei Sannikov, the leader of the civil campaign European Belarus, told in an interview to charter97.org, independent journalist Tatsyana Belashova was filming an interview with him in Frunze Street near Gorky Park, when a car with three militiamen drove up. One of them had an assault rifle.

The militiamen said they had received information that a video camera had been stolen and they needed to check it. They said the journalist should go with them to the Partyzanski district militia department.

The journalist was detained by warrant officer Ivan Pastushonak, militiamen Syarhei Navitski and Syarhei Selyaznyou.

Andrei Sannikov accompanied the upset journalist to the militia department to support her. The matter is being cleared out at the moment.