Freelance journalists appeal violent detention in Lojeŭ

Freelance journalists Kanstantsin Zhukouski and Aliaksei Atroshchankau, who were detained on June 21 in the town of Lojeŭ, Homieĺ region, have written to the Investigation Committee asking the authorities to investigate their brutal detention by the police officers. The reporters say they were beaten after the arrest.

According to Zhukouski and Atroshchankau, they spent more than five hours in the police department, where they were forced to lie on the floor and threatened with violence. They also say that the police officers put their feet on the journalists’ heads and twisted their hands. A video camera was damaged during the detention. As a result, the journalists were released without charges.

The reporters were detained when shooting a story about the problems of a local brick factory.