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On Sunday evening (around 5 p. m.) the whole leadership of the youth opposition movement „Young Front” (around 30 people) was arrested. They gathered in a private apartment in Minsk. The meeting was planned as “Rada”, or council of the regional leaders of this unregistered organization. Some activists, recently studying in Poland, also arrived.
5 p. m.
The apartment situated near the Kamarouka market in the center of Minsk was stormed by the riot police units and KGB officers. The intruders arrested the young people and confiscated their cell phones, making sure they are not able to tell the journalists about the swoop. After the arrested had been taken to the Soviet District Department of Internal Affairs in Minsk, the apartment was searched.
7.40 p. m.
Three hours long after the arrest the young people (including some minors) have been constantly escorted back and forth between the police department building and the police wagon. One of the arrested shouted to the journalists and the parents of the arrested, who gathered near the police station, that the arrested are being threatened with a “criminal case”.
Among the arrested are youth opposition leaders Jauhen Skrabatun and Barys Haretski, who study in Poland universities.
7.45 p. m.
A big brown MAZ police wagon arrived. The young people are being forced to enter it, one at a time.
8.40 p. m.
One of the arrested was taken into a smaller police car with a jacket over his head. Probably it was Zmitsier Hvedaruk, who managed to send an sms to his friends that he is being threatened with a “criminal case” and is being taken to “amerykanka” prison.
Aleh Korban, “Young Front” activist, who was not preset during the meeting and celebrated birthday at home, was arrested in his own apartment.
The apartment of Nasta Palazhanka, another “Young Front” leader, was searched.
About 10 under age activists were released. The rest are being kept in the police wagon.
11.20 p. m.
All the arrested, except Zmitsier Hvedaruk, were released. He was questioned 2 hours long. The released say, that it was suggested that they should write statements of their withdrawal from the “Young Front”.
Update: 5. February
Aleh Korban is now being held in “Amerykanka“. He is being accused of acting on behalf of the unregistered organization, which is a serious criminal offense in Belarus. Zmitsier Hvedaruk is also being held in “Amerykanka”.
6 private apartments in Minsk were searched, computers and documents were confiscated.
Barys Haretski, one of the “Young Front” leaders, assured the journalists, that the actions of the secret services will not paralyze the organization. The traditional 14. February action of “Young Front” should take place as planned. The “Young Front” activists will visit the embassies of the European countries in Minsk, bringing them notes, pointing out the cases of human rights abuse in Belarus. This “Young Front” action has a 10-year-old history.
: : : the commentary : : :
A dictatorship is not necessarily a hairy hand, waving a nuclear stick or a talking head in your TV-set. It is also a plain-clothed policemen, who breaks into your apartment while you celebrate your birthday. It is a crowd of secret service agents (like in a second-class Hollywood movie) who make you write that you officially refuse to participate in the organization, which is officially non-existant. And the courts, who sentence you to prison or labor camps for participating in the non-existant organization, since such participation is officially illegal. And you will be taken to prison in a police wagon, which is proudly marked “Made in Blearus” – at the main state-owned car plant, which you and your parents have a pleasure to subsidize with your generous tax payments.
Belarus – feel the taste.
Photos by Julia Darashkevich, ”Nasha Niva” photo reporter
