Detentions for solidarity action in Vitsebsk

17-year-old Viktorya and Krystina Chyzh sisters and Yulia Mikhailava were taken to Kastrychnitski district militia department from Freedom Square. Yesterday, 16 April, the Vitsebsk oppositional youth organised there an action of solidarity with political prisoners.

About ten people, holding portraits of Alyaksandr Kazulin, Andrei Kim and Vitsebsk businessman Syarhei Parsyukevich formed a chain on the pavement. After 10 minutes militiamen asked the participants to go away. Three girls, who refused to obey, were guarded to the militia department, Radio Svaboda reports.

The detained had to explain what they had done on the square with portraits, moreover, they were kept in the militia department more than 3 hours (which is forbidden by law). This violation was recorded in the book of complains by human rights activists and friends of the detained. Member of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Paval Levinau phoned to the region department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and demanded to release the minors urgently.

After four hours Yulia Mikhailava, Viktorya and Krystina Chyzh were allowed to go home with relatives, who came to the militia department. It was their second detention during a month – last time they got into a militia department on 24 March, ahead of Freedom Day.