Journalist detained for attempt to interview potential candidate for President
At about 2.30 p.m. in
Vitsebsk the police detained journalist Uladzislau Staraverau who was taking an
interview from Uladzimir Pravalski and shooting him on video camera. Mr.
Pravalski didn’t even manage to answer any of his questions, as the detention
was conducted in five minutes after the beginning of the interview.
The journalist was guarded to the Chyhunachny District Police Department of
Vitsebsk, where the police officers asked where he had got the camera and why
he had taken the video. Mr. Staraverau refused to give any comments. In 1.5
hours he was released without getting any charges.
By the way, during the detention the local police
inspector Siarhei Kazlou stated that the journalist insulted him and didn’t
obey his legal demands. He told the journalist not to shoot him on video.
However, the video saved the journalist from a possible trial.
’He was provoking a fight. I have a recording where he says: ‘Come on, hit me!
You want to hit me, don’t you?’ As it can be seen from the recording, I didn’t
insult anyone and I don’t need any police permission to make a video of
Uladzimir Pravalski.
Human Rights Defenders for Free Elections
