Young Front Holds Actions in Support of Political Prisoner Zmitser Dashkevich :: Charter'97 :: News

Youth activists planned to hold actions in Salihorsk, Slutsak, Luban, and Starobin. They also planned to visit the parents of their imprisoned friend and colleague in Staryia Darohi.

On January 20 the whole platoon of Salihorsk police was mobilized to detain local activists of Young Front. From the very morning Salihorsk police detained 6 Young Front members who were on their way to Staryia Darohi, Slutsak and Starobin with hand-out materials. The guys were literally surrounded by dozens of policemen, who were put on alert by the criminal investigation department.

In an hour the police detained Andrei Tychyna and Illia Shyla when they tried to put up a banner with the demand to release the imprisoned leader of Young Front. The police seized the banner and the handouts.

In Slutsak Young Front members held a picket and handed out leaflets with information about political prisoners in our country.

Despite the unprecedented actions of the police, a banner “Freedom to Dashkevich!” appeared in front of Salihorsk municipality. The police detained Ivan Shyla and Zmitser Karnou. They were charged under Article 156 of the Code of Administrative Offences. Under-age Ivan was released when his parents came to pick him up. Zmitser Karnou was sent to detention center were he would spend time before the trial.