Belarusian authorities have launched a massive campaign of preventive arrests of Belarusian opposition leaders. In the night of March, 13 the politicians Viachaslau Siuchyk and Vintsuk Viachorka were arrested.
Vintsuk Viachorka, the leader of the Belarusian People’s Front, was arrested at the entrance to his apartment. He only managed to pass his younger daughter Ruzhana to his son Franak before being taken away by the police. Viachaslau Siuchyk was arrested two days earlier on Yakub Kolas square.
Sichyk and Viachorka are being suspected of „minor hooliganism” – the usual measure, which can justify isolating them before the protests, scheduled for March, 25.
The activists of the non-registered youth organization Young Front are under pressure again. Nasta Palazhanka and Aliaksey Yanusheuski are now officially considered as suspects in the criminal case of participating in the Young Front. A number of other activists have been called for questioning, their apartments were searched.
The unusual quantity of riot police patrols could be seen in Minsk throughout the day. Police cordons cut off all major streets leading in and out of Minsk and checked almost every car, obviously checking for illegal leaflet transports.
