“Young Front” leaders arrested preventively in Minsk (Photo)

• 9.11.2009, 12:30

Young oppositionists were going to hold a street action under a slogan “Tribunal for Communism”.

“Young Front” leaders Mikalai Dzemidzenka and Anastasia Palazhanka were detained in Minsk on November 7.

“A seminar with our Norwegian partners on local government and local elections is planned for today. Nastya was detained near her house. She was guarded to the Maskouski district militia department,” organization leader Zmitser Dashkevich told BelaPAN.

According to him, Mikalai Dzemidzenka was detained on his way to the monument of Lenin on Independence square, where he was going to hold a one-man picket within the framework of the “Young Front” campaign titled “Tribunal for Communism”. He was detained by militia officers near the square and guarded to the Frunzenski district militia department.

The “Young Front” activists spent four and six hours in the militia departments that violates the law. They were freed later, no reports against them were drawn up, organization spokesperson Tatsyana Shaputska said.

“Militia officers tried to intimidate Anastasia in the Pershamaiski district militia department, they said a criminal case under article 193-1 (activity on behalf of unregistered organization” may be instigated against her. Then they began to draw up administrative reports against her, but decided it was senseless and released her 6 hours later,” Shaputska told.

According to her, Mikalai Dzemidzenka spent about four hours in the Maskouski district militia department and then was released.