The independent journalists contributing to Belsat TV were detained while performing their professional duties: Natallia Valakida and Siarzhuk Krauchuk were to cover a mourning marathon on the occasion of the Day of Remembrance of victims of political repressions. The organisers of the mourning marathon intended to pay the tribute to their memory on the sites of mass executions.
22 participants were also detained, including civil activists Aliaksei Shein, Uladzimer Ramanouski, Hanna Shaputska; at the moment they are being kept in Frunzenski district Directorate of Interior in Minsk (watch a video here).
(upd) Five journalists have been released and are waiting for the rest near the building of the Directorate.
On the Day of Remembrance of victims of political repressions we remember the millions of those executed by shooting, sent to labour camps and exiled. It also reminds the Belarusian people of terrible events on the night of the 29th/30th of October, 1937 when more than 100 Belarusian intellectuals were killed in the NKVD prison. The Soviet authorities accused them of being engaged in an anti-Soviet, spy, terrorist, nationalist and fascist organisation.
