Labor Day: preventive detention in Mahiliou

In Mahiliou a building tradesman, member of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada Mikola Rasiuk was detained preventively detained by the police on 1 May.

‘I was to have met with my working collective near the consumer services center, but was detained when approaching it,’ Mikola says. ‘One of the policemen said that I was allegedly suspected in a crime and it was necessary that I went with them to Leninski district police department of Mahiliou. When I understood, that my plans to march at the official demonstration under the flag of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party could not be realized, I took the flag out and wrapped it around myself. Surprisingly enough, the policemen didn’t mind.’

Mr. Rasiuk was detained at the police department for more than two hours and let him go only after the end of the official meeting. The policemen asked him whether he had been in Pinsk several days ago, because a man who looked like him had committed a crime there. Rasiuk answered that he was in Mahiliou all the time.

The policemen also searched the worker’s belongings and found about 20 copies of the Nash Mahiliou newspaper. They took several copies for reading, the rest were returned to the owner, as well as the party flag. ‘I told the policemen what democracy means and how the relations between the boss and the workers should be build. They listened to me and agreed to what I was saying,’ Mikola said.