Independent journalist detained for interviewing European Belarus leader (Updated)

• 21.04.2010, 12:28

A journalist interviewing Andrei Sannikov was detained by militia in the center of Minsk.

As Andrei Sannikov, the leader of the civil campaign European Belarus, told in an interview to charter97.org, independent journalist Tatsyana Belashova was filming an interview with him in Frunze Street near Gorky Park, when a car with three militiamen drove up. One of them had an assault rifle.

The militiamen said they had received information that a video camera had been stolen and they needed to check it. They said the journalist should go with them to the Partyzanski district militia department.

The journalist was detained by warrant officer Ivan Pastushonak, militiamen Syarhei Navitski and Syarhei Selyaznyou.

Andrei Sannikov accompanied the upset journalist to the militia department to support her.

Tatsyana Belashova spent three hours in the Partyzanski district militia department in Minsk. She had a conversation with Andrei Arlou, a deputy head of the crime prevention and public order department. The militia tried to fingerprint the journalist, but she refused to undergo the procedure.

No report were drawn up, the journalist was set free. Militiamen offered her to leave the camera in the department. The journalist demanded that seizure reports should be made, and militiamen gave up their idea.