Two Detained After Protest Action in Kastrychnitskaya Square of Minsk

23.03.2005.

The action named "Release Mikhail Marynich! Free Political Prisoners!" has been continuing for the ninth day in a row in Kastrychnitskaya Square of Minsk. .

On 22 March around 35 activists of the Zubr movement, of the civil initiate Charter-97, the BPF Party and the businessmen's organization Perspektyva gathered on Kastrychnitskaya Square of Minsk. They made a chain along the square and stood there holding portraits of Mikhail Marynich, and of the imprisoned leaders of the businessmen's movement Valiery Lievaneuski, Aliaxandr Vasilieu and Anatol Shumchanka.

After the action was over, the police detained the coordinators of the Charter-97 and of the Zubr movement Zmitsier Bandarenka and Mikita Sasim, respectively. They were taken to the police department of Tsentralny Borough.

Zmietsier Bandarenka, the coordinator of the civil initiate Charter-97, told Radio Liberty that the police drew up a report registering offences he had allegedly committed – insubordination to the police and hooliganism (Articles 156 and 166 of the Administrative Code of Belarus). The same charges were brought against Mikita Sasim, the Zubr movement activist.