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The police have forcefully detained a Belsat TV journalist in the Belarusian town of Loyeu.
Our crew was working on a news story about the state of the economy in Belarusian regions. The filming was interrupted by the policemen’s arrival. They arrested a journalist who worked together with Kastus Zhukouski. In addition, the police officers reportedly broke the channel’s equipment.
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Belsat.eu contacted Kanstus Zhukouski, who is now in the police station. Here is what he said:
“I don’t know where my colleague is or where the camera is. I have described the case in the book of proposals. I was brought here, they said it was done for identification, even though I showed the documents, but I did not argue. Then came the unknown man in plain clothes and started asking questions. I asked who he was. He said he was the Deputy Chief of Loyeu police of the Loev regional executive committee. It was Henadz Madzhara from the local police department dressed in civilian clothes. He demanded that I turned off the recorder. I asked him to show the law, he showed me something. I did not want to argue and turned off the recorder on the phone, then put the phone in the pocket. He began to demand that I gave him the phone. I said that if they want to see my stuff, they had to draw the inspection protocol.
He and another man in civilian clothes looking like a thug and a police officer simply attacked me, knocked me down to the floor, it was right at the police station. They pressed a knee against my head, pushed my into the tile, were hand-wringing, strangling me, then got handcuffs, pressed me so hard that an ambulance had to be called for — I had high blood pressure.
They took out my phone and put it on the table. I do not know why. Maybe they wanted to show that he is the Deputy Chief and a big man there? They all have left, I picked up the phone and I am talking now. Alexei is sitting, I do not know what is with me.”
