People preventing police from taking Palcheuski (in yellow raincover) away from Kurapaty
The Minsk police have arrested Syarhei Palcheuski, an activist who once lay himself under the wheels of the truck to stop the construction at Kurapaty, a Stalin-era mass grave site near Minsk.
“Syarhei Palcheuski has been detained in a starirwell of his block of flats. The liberalization is in the full swing,” Young Front leader Zmitser Dashkevich said on Facebook.
(UPD) Palcheuski has been sentenced to 10 days in custody under Article 23 of the Administrative Code (participating in an unsanctioned rally). It is still unknown which protest action is the case. The authorities might be retaliating for his defending Kurapaty, Palcheuski’s mother told Belsat TV.
Police officers also attempted to detain Zmitser Dashkevich.
In late February, the Belarusian activists began a long-term action in defense of the memorial protesting against the construction of an office building started a few dozen meters from Kurapaty. According to them, it is fraudulent as the building permission was granted when the area was considered a protected zone.
Why should Belarusians defend Kurapaty? (ENG subs)
The plot on which ‘Belrekonstruktsiya’ company undertook the construction of a four-storey business center was sold by the city authorities at the auction in 2013. In 2014 the protected zone was significantly cut. According to historian Ihar Kuznyatsou, it is highly likely that remains of the victims will be found here. KGB archives which could cast light on the burial plans are classified until now. After several-day protesting in Kurapaty, the developer decided to take away its building fleet. Last Thursday, the company ordered to minimize any works and take the machines away. However, Minsk City Committee has not given up the idea to stop the construction of a business center here.
