Mass detainments in Minsk :: Charter'97 :: News

Yesterday in Minsk the militia detained the Young Front’s activists; mass media report. That speaks of the state authorities’ fear of the youth activity growth. The authorities are doing their best to minimize their participation in the Day of Independence celebration.

At 7.15 p.m. in the Yakub Kolas Square the militiamen detained the activist of the unregistered “Young Front” organization Ale Koran. The militiamen explained Aleg that he resembled the criminal suspected of steeling the mobile phone and guarded the youth to the militia department of the Savetsky district of Minsk.

In an hour Pavel Sevyarinets and Alyaksei Shein were detained at the “Pushkinskaya” metro station. During the search of their private belongings 150 items of public agitation matter informing about the action of the opposition forces dedicated to the anniversary of adoption of the Declaration of Independence due on 27 July were discovered.

At 9.30 p.m. in the Yakub Kolas Square another 4 activists of the unregistered “Young Front” organization were detained, among those being Syargey Klyuyau and Stsyapan Lutsevich. The youngsters were guarded to the militia department of the Savetsky district of Minsk. The Young Front activists suppose their collaborators to be accused of minor public disorder and to be arrested for several days in order to isolate them on the Day of Independence on 27 July.

Later the apartment of the unregistered “Young Front” organization’s spokesman Baris Garetsky was searched. The militiamen and the KGB staff-members told the activist that the search was conducted within the framework of the criminal case brought against another Young Front’s member Nasta Azarka for her participation in the unregistered organization. The computer, the “Nasha Niva" newspaper copies and several CDs and photos were confiscated in Baris Garetsky’s apartment.

Despite of the pressure and intimidiation the youth is not going to sutrrender.