Zmitser Halko: Separatist pointed gun at us

A Belarusian journalist tells details of his detention in Slovyansk.

Zmitser Halko, a journalist for Novy Chas newspaper, told Salidarnsts what had happened to him and his colleagues detained in Slovyansk.

“They asked us who we are, where we come from and what we do there. One of the pro-Russian activists tried to scare us – he pointed his assault riffle at us. They asked if the journalists would write the truth about the events in the region.”

A man, who was to sort out the situation with the detained journalists, didn't come, Zmitser Halko says.

The journalist and his colleagues try to continue their work. They were going to a meeting, but were stopped by at another checkpoint.

“They again asked to show our permission to take video and said where we could get it. We are heading to this place now.”

Novy Chas's journalist Zmitser Halko was detained this morning in Slovyansk. The separatists held him for about an hour.