Mass detention over weekend? Minsk police: It’s pseudojournalists’ allegations


On June 4, a number of Belarusian media outlets reported that mass detentions took place in the centre of Minsk overnight into Saturday.

According to the reports, dozens of people who were leaving the bars in Zybitskaya street were detained and put in paddy wagons. Protocols were drawn upon them for drinking alcoholic beverages in a public place. If one did not want to sign the protocol, the police threatened to make them spend a night in a detention facility.

Later, the Ministry of Interior issued a statement saying that police officers did detain several dozen people. According to the police, a lot of people were drinking alcoholic beverages on the Svislach embankment, not in bars in the near vicinity of the river.

“Information about the ‘grabbing’ and a long stay in the district police station, which appeared on certain news resources, is nothing but pseudojournalists’ allegations. It fails to comply with the facts,” the statement reads.

After the protocols were made, the detainees were released, the police state. Only one person who had already been tried for drinking in public place had to stay in prison.

However, it should be noted that the ministry’s statement runs counter to eyewitnesses and detainees’ words. By the moment, neither of the parties has made any evidence public.

Belsat.eu

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