BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

02/05/2008

Belarusian Authorities Detain Activists On May Day

At least 30 activists were detained while holding a counterprotest near a May Day rally in Minsk held by the progovernment Federation of Trade Unions of Belarus on May 1, Belapan and RFE/RL's Belarus Service reported. Riot police and plainclothes officers arrested a group of youth activists, led by opposition politician Mikalay Statkevich, who marched with European Union flags to meet the progovernment demonstrators. After several hours at the police station, all of the detainees were released except Statkevich. Youth activists Artur Finkevich, Zmitser Dashkevich, Zmitser Fedaruk, Pavel Yukhnevich, and Yauhen Afnahel were released after signing a pledge to appear in court when summoned. Statkevich is to be detained until the start of his trial for staging an unsanctioned rally. AM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2008/05/3-cee/cee-020508.asp

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