Independent journalist arrested and beaten for taking photos of fire in police department building

Uladzimir Hrydzin, photographer and member of the Belarusian Association of Journalists, was detained as he was taking pictures of a fire in the building of Pershamaiski Police Department in Minsk on 16 April.
According to the journalist, shortly after he started taking pictures of the burning building he was approached by a plainclothes person and ordered to stop shooting. Then, several other plainclothes persons twisted his arms and took him to the police department where they confiscated the camera and deleted the photos. After that the photographer was released.
Mr.Hrydzin says he is going to lodge a complaint against the arrest with Pershamaiski Prosecutor’s Office to prosecute the offenders.