Band Dzieciuki arrested by Special Designation Police Detachment

Hrodna’s band Dzieciuki arrested in Zaslaul where they have been making music video.

“Now we are delivered to the Regional Department of Internal Affairs of Zaslaul. All the musicians and those assisting have been arrested, including the historian, Ihar Melnikau. Everyone has been placed into a prison truck, any moment they can leave us without our cell phones”, said Ales Dzianisau, the front man of Dzieciuki, to Tuzin.fm

Fifteen people arrested. That was considered as unauthorized demonstration. The absence of approvals was the reason for detention.

The musicians have been making “Hloptsy-balahoutsy” music video from their album “Haradzenski harmidar”.

“They have been working on the music video since afternoon on the outskirts of Zaslaul. The musicians have been wearing the costumes of Civil War period – communists, royalists… Some have been riding horses, specially rent for this occasion. Horse owners, historians, reenactors and Dzianis Zhyhavets, a song writer, were among the musicians… When I left for Minsk Ales Dzianisau gave me a call and told that they were arrested. First of all, those were arrested who didn’t have documents with them, though guys had left them in their van in the center of Zaslaul…” the eyewitness, Hleb Rubanau, told Tuzin.fm. He left a little before the detention.

All the musicians and other participants of video-making (altogether 17 people) were set free after 9 p.m. But there is still no information about editor and camera-control engineer Anton Tsialezhnikau. He was the first to be called in for questioning, but he didn’t join the rest of arrested.

The police offices hold a strict inspection of the cars of participants of video-making.

“We have been denied any official reasons upon our detention. They only said, informally, that we had been making video without any permission. We are very worried about Anton; we’ll be waiting on him. He has all video tape footage with him”, said Ales Dzianisau.

Ales also told the detention circumstances. At 6.30 p.m. the musicians and production team had already finished their work. Some were dressing for dinner. Then two special designation police officers approached then followed a few autos, a prison truck was among them. Altogether 18 people, the participants of music video-making, were taken to police office “to clarify circumstances”.

About 10 p.m. the editor Anton Tsialezhnikau was set free. The tape was seized for a 10 day period “to clarify the content”.

On his way off the police office Tsialezhikau stated that: “I was pointed out as coordinator, as I claimed to be a film originator. That’s why I was especially paid attention to. I was isolated from others; in fact I was sitting in the corridor under a strict control of either police officer or special designation officer. I was told that the main issue with us was the absence of permission on film-making. Frankly speaking, I have even had no guess that we need permission as video-making was held in private way and we didn’t disturb anyone. I do really hope that we’ll get our tape back as a thing illegal has been done. We have done a good piece of work and we will feel sorry to lose it”.