More preventive detentions and trials ahead of CIS summit

Activist of the EuroBelarus movement from Dziarzhynsk, Aliaksandr Tarnahurski, was summoned for interrogation at 10 this morning.

The police also detained an activist of the National Bolshevik movement Dzmitry Paliyenka. Later it became known that he was charged with disorderly conduct. As a result, the activist stood trial and was sentenced to six days of arrest.

Andrei Mouchan, activist of the campaign "European Belarus", was also detained yesterday. Today, Judge Tatsiana Motyl of Minsk Maskouski District Court sentenced him to 5 days of arrest on charges of resisting arrest.

Another activist, Vital Vasilkou, was detained in the evening. Today it was announced that he was arrested for 5 days. Human rights activists are trying to find out the reason for the punishment.

Special cynicism of these arrests is that people are being taken directly from their working places and charged with disorderly conduct.

Human rights activists the preventive arrests may be linked to the meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the CIS, which is starting its work in Minsk today.