Musicians and audience detained at picnic near Minsk
In the evening of 6 May, musicians
Zmitser Bartosik and Ihar Simbirou who were playing a private concert near Minsk, as well as other
15 people were detained at Zialionaya station.
Police gave no grounds on the detention. All people detained were
fingerprinted. All of them, expect for Simbirou, were released, RFE/RL reports.
Ihar Simbirou gave explanations, but denied accusations of showing disobedience
to police. An alcohol analysis showed Simbirou was sober. Policemen said
nothing about his future fate. Bear in mind that Simbirou was released on May 6
after ten days in custody.
The activist served his term in a detention facility on Akrestin Street on a decision of a judge
of the Kastrychnitski district court of Minsk,
Natallia Pratasavitskaya.
Ihar Simbirou said he was on hunger strike during the first three day
protesting against illegal, as he thinks, arrest. He ended hunger strike after
he felt worse. Simbirou says he received parcels only from his friend, musician
Zmitser Bartosik.
Ihar Simbirou was detained at the Minsk
railway station on 26 April after he had arrived from Asipovichy to take part
in the Chernobyl Way
rally. He phoned from a police department and said he had been beaten during
the detention. Policemen drew up a report over an administrative offence.
Simbirou was accused of disorderly conduct and disobedience to police. The
court found him guilty of committing these offences.
