Police Detains Participants of the Freedom Day celebration

25.03.2004.

On 25 March on Freedom Square people gathered to celebrate the Freedom Day – the 86th anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic. At 5.15 p.m. the police started to detain participants. The detentions were carried out on Freedom Square where people gathered with flowers.

Among the detained there are:
1. Ales Bialatski – head of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" (during the detention he was knocked down and dragged to a police car)
2. Valantsin Stefanovic – lawyer of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" (he was detained when he rushed to help Bialatski)
3. Vincuk Viacorka – head of Belarusian Popular Front
4. Valantsin Matskevich
5. Uladzimir Kishkurna – head of Minsk city organization of Belarusian Popular Front.
6. Andrei Kozel – deputy head of Minsk city organization of United Civic Party (Andrei was severely beaten during the detention and in the police car).
7. Ryhor Kiyko
8. Yawhen Skochka
9. Viachaslaw Siwchyk
10. Dzianis Buinitski
11. Valantsin Baranaw
12. Aleh Hnedchyk

The detained were taken to Centralny borough police board.