Belarusian militia arrests demonstrators and seizes portraits of killed journalists

Residents of Minsk gathered near Church of St Joseph holding portraits of the repressed people on Solidarity Day.

More than 40 activists of Belarusian Christian Democracy, European Belarus civil campaign, Young Front, and Tell the Truth campaign took part in the picket.

As the charter97.org website learnt from Paval Sevyarynets, a c-chairman of the organizing committee on creating BCD party, about 20 persons, among them Young Front leader Zmitser Dashkevich, opposition activists Vyachaslau Siuchyk and Mikola Dzemidzenka, were detained on their way to the church.

The picketers demanded to return the church to church members and held portraits of opposition leaders Viktar Hanchar, Anatol Krasouski kidnapped 11 years ago and photos of the church.

Before the action started, the militia seized portraits of killed journalist Aleh Byabenin, kidnapped PRT operator Zmitser Zavadski and former interior minister Yury Zakharanka.

The picket near Church of St Joseph was held under surveillance of the Minsk riot militia.

The detained activists were taken to the Tsentralny district militia department of Minsk. They were released after 10 pm. while in the militia department, they were made stand facing the wall, were not allowed to talk and use cell phones. They were fingerprinted. The wife and son of opposition activist Vyachaslau Siuchyk were beaten by the militia for an attempt to enter the militia department.