Minsk journalists have camera seized for “examination"

A camera of Vyachaslau Pyashko and Valyantin Mikhaltsou, who were detained on the evening on September 18 in Minsk, was seized under the guise of a "check".

This was reported to BelaPAN by spokesman of the public association "Belarusian Association of Journalists" Baris Garetsky.

Recall, independent TV journalists Vyachiaslau Peshko and Valiantsin Mihaltsou were detained on September 18, about 17 hours near Kalinin Square, while they were making footage on the street. They were taken to the nearest police office on Kuzma Chorny Street for identification.

Around 19.15 journalists were put out of the office and led to a police car: police officers told that they will be taken to the police department of Pervomaisky district of Minsk to put a seal on the protocol of the confiscation of the camera.

"At the police department Valiantsin Mihaltsou was fingerprinted (fingerprints of Peshko were already in the database) and photographed. They were set free around 20.15. Reporters were given a copy of the protocol, which states that the equipment was taken for tests for 10 days. The videomaterial also remains in police," - said Garetsky.

Recall, in the morning of September 18 in Minsk, a rally which was run by "Zmena" (the youth wing of the campaign "Tell the Truth”) near the “Frunze” supermarket was dispersed. In addition to the organizers of the picket seven journalists were detained. All of the journalists were released after two hours.