Neutralised before May Day: Opposition politician Mikalai Statkevich released from jail


Міkalai Statkevich

Mikalai Statkevich, a former presidential candidate and political prisoner, was released from the temporary detention facility in Minsk on Wednesday evening.

Mr Statkevich disappeared in the run-up of the May Day rally, in which he called on Belarusians to participate. Later it became known that he was arrested and jailed for 5 days.

According to the opposition politician, the authorities keep detaining him before beg demonstrations in order to neutralize a potential leader of the protests.

“Suddenly a minivan stopped, some people rushed to me. They said they were from the police and dragged me into a van. One of them was wearing a riot police uniform and five were in plainclothes. I demanded that they introduced themselves and showed their IDs. Only one said his surname – ‘Ivanov’. <…> They took me straight to the prison in Akrestsin street,” Statkevich told Belsat TV about his detention on April, 30.

During the first night in prison, Mr Statkevich had no bunk to sleep. When informed of the situation, a detention center employee said that it was Lukashenka’s personal order.

Mikalai Statkevich is going to organise another protest rally on July, 3, the official Independence Day.


In spite of intimidation and preventive arrests, protest rallies took place in Minsk and regions on May, 1. The police attempted to bar activists and journalists from participating.

belsat.eu

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