For action in memory of repression victims 25 people detained

• 30.10.2007, 14:01

The participants of an action of memory of Stalin’s repressions victims have been detained in Vitebsk. 30 October local activists of the democratic parties and public organizations together with human rights activists held the action of memory on the place of mass executions during Stalin’s repressions in natural landmark Palyai.

From the very beginning the action participants were watched by representatives of law-enforcement bodies, but after some time all people were detained for the participation in unauthorized event – in total 25 people. They are in the Vitebsk district Militia Department now, Human Rights Center Viasna says.

Among the detainees are journalists and Belarusian Association of Journalists members Alena Stiapanava, Leanid Svetik, Vadzim Barshcheuski and Siarhei Piatrenka. As Leanid Svetik said the BAJ press-service on telephone, the participants of the action-requiem, having paid the tribute to the memory of Stalinism’s victims, were going to come back to Vitebsk, when militiamen detained their bus and drove it away to the building of district militia department. There the detainees were said they were suspected of participation in an unauthorized mass event.

The detaining was directed by Aliaksandr Lilenka, deputy chief of the Vitebsk District Internal Affairs Department.

The action was devoted to 70-th anniversary of the climax of Stalin’s terror in 1937. The democratic activists installed a memorial cross on the site of mass executions in the Palyai area.