Mahiliou: intimidation and arrests

Unidentified persons threatened opposition activists and journalists with “responsibility” for participation in the silent action of protest Revolution Through Social Networks.

According to the human rights defender Barys Bukhel, those who phoned introduced themselves as police officers and threatened the people with arrest in the case they came to the public garden opposite Lenin Square on 3 July, the official “Independence Day”.

All in all, five such cases were registered. Among those who received such telephone calls there was Ihar Barysau, an activist of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party Hramada. An unknown man phoned to his wife. He didn't introduce themselves and started the talk with threats.

According to Mr. Barysau, a similar telephone call was received by another local activist, Maksim Kavaliou. The police also looked for Andrei Dzvihun.

A policeman paid a visit to the apartment of Natallia Shkadun, a mother with many children. However, she didn't open the door. Now she intends to appeal such actions of the police at the Leninski District Police Department of Mahiliou, as policemen shouldn't disturb people for no reason on week-ends.

The fear of the local police and secret services had quite clear reasons: the last protest action, held on 29 June, gathered as many as 500 people, and was the most massive one during the recent years.

Despite the intimidation, there were even more people at the protest action on the official “Independence Day”, 3 July. About 15 people were detained:

1. Viktoryia Abukhova – released from the Leninski District Police Department at 11.20 p.m.;
2. Barys Bukhel, human rights defender, released from the police department at 3 a.m.;
3. Ales Asiptsou (journalist);
4. Aleh Dziiachkou, Chair of the Mahiliou organization of the Belarusian Language Society, released from the Leninski DPD at 11.20 p.m.;
5. Halina Iliina (journalist);
6. Valiantsin Labachou, a Young Front activist, detained at about 6.30 p.m., at the beginning of the action;
7. Ales Simanovich;
8. Alina Skrabunova (journalist);
9. Andrei Shalabodau.

All detainees were charged with violation of Article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, “participation in unauthorized mass event”. According to reports in the social networks, the number of the detainees is much larger – several tens.