Homel: journalists detained for public poll on swine flu

The independent journalists Tatsiana Bublikava and Aleh Ryzhkou were detained in Homel.

As the website baj.by reports, the incident took place on 30 October, when the journalists were filming an interview in Homel streets. They asked passers-by their opinions on swine flu epidemic.

As Tatsiana Bublikava said, policemen Maksim Ihnatchyk and Ihar Tarasau came up to them and demanded to show a permit for shooting. Police officers remained unsatisfied with journalist certificates and explanations of the journalists that they were fulfilling the editor’s task and didn’t need a permit to shoot in the place.

Policemen put in question the authenticity of the certificates and suspected the detained of ‘anti-constitutional activity’.

The police questioned the journalists in the street for 20 minutes and then guarded them to a police station. Some minutes later, the journalists were told their identity had been established and they were released from the police station #1 of the Chyhunachny district. No detention reports were drawn up.