Mass Arrests On Freedom Day

• 25.03.2019, 18:12

(updated) Among the detainees – famous musicians Liavon Volski, Ihar Varashkevich, Zmitser Vaitsiushkevich and Pavel Arakelian.

Acting Chairman of the United Civic Party Mikalai Kazlou was detained in the Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk, as well as Co-Chairman of the BCD Vital Rymasheuski. The leaders of the right-centrist coalition were detained right in the eyes of the journalists.

The opposition politicians were going to lay flowers to the building where the Belarusian People’s Republic was proclaimed.

Later, the police detained several more people who planned to celebrate the Freedom Day in the center of Minsk.

It has been reported that musicians Liavon Volski, Ihar Varashkervich, Zmitser Vaitsiushkevich and Pavel Arakelian were detained in Minsk. The musicians were about to play a free concert in the center of Minsk.

Several dozen people who came to the concert, continued to sing the songs of the famous musicians, regardless of their arrest. They sang “Three Turtles”, “The Baloon”, “Simple Words”.

The police warned the participants of the improvised concert on the possible use of force against them. Regardless of that, several dozen people remained in the square.

The participants of the concert told that the police notified Liavon Volski during the detention that he was an organizer of a non-sanctioned event. The musician disagreed with that.

Important to note, on March 24, activist Zmitser Dashkevich was detained. Today, the detention of Vitsebsk oppositionist Barys Khamaida was reported. The police are besieging the homes of other activists.

Activist Alena Talstaya handcuffed herself to a post in the Kastrychnitskaya Square in Minsk as a protest. She was also detained by police officers.