Member of BPF Party, Organizer of Chernobyl Way Yury Ziankovich Arrested

17.05.2007.

On 16 May policemen of Savetski police department of Minsk detained the member of the Belarusian People’s Front party Yury Ziankovich who was an applicant for holding the protest Chernobyl Way in Minsk on 26 April, on the day of Chernobyl catastrophe. Policemen drew up a report for violation of the Article 23.34 of the Administrative Code (‘Violation of public order during mass rallies’). Yury Ziankovich is charged with the fact that demonstrators had to march on traffic area on April 26 while moving along Surhanau Street where construction works were taking place. Actions of policemen are totally illegal. March of 10,000 people on sidewalks of Surhanau Street was unsafe and dangerous for life and of Chernobyl Waydemonstrators.

After the rally, on 27 April, organizers of the Chernobyl Waystated at a press-conference that they are set to file a complaint to the prosecutor’s office against actions of Minsk police. Minsk police exposed to danger demonstrators by pushing them to sidewalks of Surhanau Street where construction works were underway.

At a press-conference after the rally Yury Ziankovich noted that Minsk city executive committee had chosen the dangerous route for the march. ‘However, we had an agreement with the police that on the part of Surhanau Street where sidewalk was being repaired, we would march on traffic area. It is scandalous that they started to push us out of the traffic area. It’s violation of our agreements! It means that the deputy head of the Interior Affairs department of Minsk executive committee colonel Naidzenka who personally promised us to allow passing on traffic area has no respect for his promise,’ Yury Ziankovich stated on 27 April.