Mazyr: detention of Bulgarian and US journalists
The
famous Bulgarian journalist, poet and translator Dimiter Kenarov was wrongly
detained by the police in Mazyr on 29 June. The popular networking site Facebook developed an open community
where information is gathered about his arrest.
Mr. Kenarov
is a freelance journalist from Sophia and editor of the VQR. His articles were published in
such prominent publications as Nation,
The Boston Review and Etiqueta Negra, he is studying in a
doctorate in English at the University
of California, Berkeley.
As reported by Radio Liberty on 29 June
in Mazyr the police detained two foreigners, the citizen of Bulgaria Dimiter
Kenarov and a US
citizen Jason Motla.
As reported in his internet blog
writer Maryika Martysevich, Dimiter Kenarav had lost passport in the town of Hantsavichy short before
his detention. In Mazyr he tried to interview
the director of automotive Mazyr refinery. However, the director said that he
couldn’t talk in the office and offered to take Dimiter for a ride on a
tractor. He took the boy to the
check-point of the plant, where he was detained by police.
The American writer Jason Motl
was quickly released from custody after the intervention of the U.S. Consul and
has been deported from Belarus.
But Dimiter Kenarov still remains
in custody because he has no passport, and the Bulgarian Embassy hasn’t delivered
to Mozyr the necessary documents for the temporary release of the detainee yet.
Most probably, he will be deported right after his release from custody.
