HRODNA: Activists Detained on March 25

26.03.2007.

On March 25 a group of Hrodna activists came to Grunwald monument near Kalozha church in order to bring flowers to the heroes who gave their lives for the freedom of their country and clean the area near the monument.

Soon people in civil clothes appeared near the monument, they called for police and OMON troops. Senior lieutenant Smaliakou ordered the people to disperse, giving no explanations why. However, after a call from police colonel Shabanau ordered to detain everybody. The people were detained and taken to police cars where major Khilko and his colleagues were waiting. They took the people to Leninski police department and made them give written explanations.

Local human rights defender Viktar Sazonau reports, the police detained pro-democratic activists Raman Yurhel, Mikola Voran, Ales Astrouski, Dzianis Ivashyn, and a fgroup pf yopung people, Maksim Rudkouski, 16, Raman Patsalun, 13, and Yan Bazhun among them.

The detained human rights activist Raman Yurhel informed the policemen that they had to first invite the parents of the teenagers before interrogating them. However, the policemen kept saying that it was not them who decide what to do.