Minsk: Police Detain Youth Activists in Apartment Rented by Krystsina Shatsikava

02.08.2007. Tags: political persecution, detentions.

Last night persons in mufti who introduced themselves as workers of the police department of organized crimes burst into an apartment in Paliavaya Street 26 in Minsk, which was rented by the public activist Krystsina Shatsikava. The policemen stated that they suspected those who were there in illegal stay in the apartment which was owned by another person and in property theft. They also wrote it in the detention reports.

Human Rights Center Viasna learned that the youth activist Zmitser Lisienka were in the flat at that time. The policemen searched the apartment, found there leaflets and a banner ‘Freedom to Kazulin!’. They also confiscated a computer, CDs and documents which belonged to the owner of the apartment. At about 2 a.m. on 2 August the flat was sealed.

Lisienka was handcuffed. All the detainees were taken to Tsentralny borough police department of Minsk. In the morning the police interrogated the activists without lawyer, on presence of which the latter ones insisted. At 10 a.m. the reports of administrative violations were composed. The detainees were accused in swearing. Artur Dasanau, Yana Karpovich and Siarhei Pavazkou are kept at Leninski borough police department. Zmitser Lisienka has been probably taken to KGB for an interrogation.

Most probably, today the activists will be tried.