Dziarzhynsk: persecution of traffickers of bulletin “For Free Elections”
On 11 July Hrodna activists of the Belarusian
Leftist Party “Fair World” Viktar Mikhalchyk and Pavel Staneuski were carrying
copies of the bulletin “For Free Elections” in their car. On the territory of
the Dziarzhynsk district their car was overtaken by a road police patrol.
A traffic policeman stated that this car had been noticed near a robbed house
and demanded to open the trunk. On seeing the printed production there, he
started phoning somebody, and then said that some specialists would arrive.
The “specialists” arrived in an hour. They took explanations from Mikhalchanka
and Staneuski and counted the bulletins in presence of witnesses. After this
the detained activists were taken to Fanipal, where they were told that the
head of the Dziarzhynsk District Police Department ordered to take them to
Dziarzhynsk. The activists were also threatened that the car would be put to an
impound. Eventually this threat was fulfilled – the car was put there on the
order of the head of the police department.
Viktar Mikhalchyk and Pavel Staneuski are going to appeal these absurd
and unlawful actions of the Dziarzhynsk police.
