Belsat film crew beaten and held in Cherkasy

Belsat's film crew – journalist Yury Vysotski and cameraman Siarhei Marchyk – were beaten by Berkut police in the town of Cherkasy.

Police seized equipment and documents from the journalists of the independent Belarusian TV channel. Yury Vysotski is at a police station. Siarhei Marchyk was taken to hospital in 210 Roza Luxemburg Street with brain concussion. Yury, who remains at a police station, seems to have a head injury too. He feels bad and dizzy, but the police deny medical help to him, the journalists' colleagues say.

Siarhei and Yury were working on a big story about protests and work of journalists. They went to Cherkasy to cover the Automaidan rally.

Activist Mykola Liakhovych writes on Facebook about the protests in Cherkasy. “In Cherkasy, 'titushki' framed Automaidan activists from Kyiv. Guests from the capital were getting out of their cars when scores of locals appeared and attacked the administration building. One of the local dwellers gave a command some minutes later and all ran to yards on the right side of the building. When 'titushki' dressed like activists ran away through the yards, Berkut members appeared from the left side of the building and began to beat everyone on the square. Some people were detained and injured. Berkut police damaged the cars of the activists.”