Nasha Niva: Editor-in-chief Yahor Martsinovich was beaten during detention, deprived of food
The popular Belarusian media outlet Nasha Niva revealed new details about Thursday’s detention of its contributors.
According to NN journalists, Nasha Niva editor-in-chief Yahor Martsinovich was beaten when the security officers were detaining him, which resulted in his suffering a head injury.
In the wake of searches at his office and home, Yahor was taken to the Investigative Committee for questioning, and an ambulance was called there to provide medical assistance to him. The editor spent that night in the detention centre on Akrestsin Street. On Friday morning, he was given food for the first time since the detention, i.e. since 10 am on Thursday. He and his cellmates were not mattresses or bed sheets in prison.
Yahor Martsinovich, Nasha Niva editorial director Andrey Dynko, editor Andrey Skurko, NN chief accountant Volha Rakovich are suspects under Part 1 of Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (‘organisation or preparation of actions that grossly violate public order, or participation in them’). On July 8, they were detained for 72 hours.
Andrey Skurko, a diabetic patient, is insulin-dependent, he was allowed to take medicines for three days. According to his wife, the search of their house was conducted by masked men armed with machine guns.
On Thursday, alarming information about a raid on Nasha Niva appeared. Searches took place in their Minsk office as well as in the apartments of employees – both journalists and accountants. Their news website, nn.by, was blocked on the back of the recent decision by the Belarusian Ministry of Information.
