Human Rights Activists Detained in Minsk: Invasion of the Viasna Office Was Brutal

• 26.03.2017, 14:11

International observers, representatives of foreign media and human rights organizations were among detainees.

At 12 am, March 25 the public reception office of the HRC Viasna (Nezavisimosti Av., 78a-48) started a briefing of observers who were going to follow the action on Freedom Day. They had an appropriate accreditation. Foreign human rights activists and journalists came there as well.

About 1 pm the riot police brutally rushed into the office. People faced the floor and were ordered not to move. Detainees were in two rooms, HRC Viasna informs.

A white bus with the police was waiting outside. The courtyard was cordoned on the perimeter.

About 57 people, including international observers, foreign journalists and civil rights activists like Maria Shishchenkova from Frontline Defenders, Chairman of the BHC Aleh Hulak, Viasna lawyer Anastasia Loika.

A citizen of Russia Nikolai Kretov, Viasna and BHC observers Vladimir Adrienko, Irina Smeyan-Semeniuk and Sergei Semeniuk, Valdis Fugash, Elena Pishch, Anastasia Vasylchuk, Kirill Kazhenov, Anisya Kozlyuk, Ylia Loikao, journalist Anna Bodyako were also detained.

Chairman of the HRC Viasna Ales Byalyatski is not available on the phone.

The detention was videotaped by an unknown, allegedly a police officer. Staff members of the Investigative Committee were also present when detention.

Detainees were taken to the Police Department of the Pershamaiski district of Minsk. They were taken to a gym. An officer who headed the detention process and did not say his name told journalists they were accused of "mobstery and hooliganism."

At about 2.30 pm Alias Byalyatski got in touch. It turned out after the office staff was detained, he was left there to process protocols. He also reported that neither the search nor the inspection of the premises had been carried out, but the invasion of the office was brutal.

At about 3 pm detainees were released by small groups.

Lawyer of Viasna Anastasia Loika informs that all detainees are released.

"As soon as we were taken to the gym of the RUVD, everyone was searched. Then police officers came and read names and let people go in groups. Three groups of people were released and later all the rest," she clarified.

The detainee Aleksei Loiko was taken to hospital because he had been beaten by riot police officers during attack on the office.