Freedom for Barazenka! (Video, photo)

• 29.10.2008, 20:03

Activists of the “European Belarus” civil campaign held some street actions today demanding to release political prisoner Alyaksandr Barazenka.

The actions were organised in the Minsk center – at Independence Square, near detention facility in Valadarski Street and at October Square.

Activists of the “European Belarus” stood near the House of Government with their mouths taped shut for 15 minutes. The young oppositionists unfurled a banner “Freedom for Barazenka!” near the detention facility in Valadarski Street.

Activists of the “European Belarus” campaign took to October Square carrying portraits of the political prisoner. At the same time the pro-Lukashenka youth organisation BRSM had its session in the Palace of the Republic nearby. Some riot militiamen came up to the young people and demanded to remove the portraits. The riot militiamen were rather rude: “Why did you take these portraits here? Is he dead?” they said pointing at the portrait of the political prisoner. “Then go to cemetery!”

Riot militiamen in uniform and in civvies were watching the action to its end and threatening to arrest the participants.

Activist of the “European Belarus” civil campaign Alyaksandr Barazenka was arrested on October 27 in a building of the Investigative Committee of Preliminary Investigation of the city militia department of the Minsk city executive committee, where he had been called in for questioning. The oppositionist is one of the figures of the Trial of 14, a criminal case, instigated on article 342 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus against participants of a peaceful rally of entrepreneurs, held in Minsk on January 10, 2008. It is remarkable that he was arrested just after the European Union lifted sanctions on high ranking Belarusian officials.