Journalists released, Shumchanka still in jail

The police tried to accuse Shumchanka of a crime when they detained him in the trade centre Parking, he said.

Ihar Karnei: "We parked in that Parking, entered the lift and two employees in civil clothes ran inside and told everyone to go out. When Shumchanka asked why they wanted to detain him, they said that he was suspected of some crime. We showed our journalist IDs but it produced no effect on them. They asked us to follow them and took us to Soviet District Department of the Interior. They allowed Shumchanka to use his own car under the supervision of a policeman. On the way there it turn out that they had to deliver us to Central District Department of the Interior.”

The journalists spent 2 hours in the police office, Karnei said. The police used the time to prove their identity. Shumchanka was not allowed to leave. He will probably be accused of some crime, Karnei said.

Head of the republican association Perspectiva Anatol Shumchanka took part in a meeting in Zhdanovichy market. He was detained afterwards. Radio Liberty journalist Ihar Karnei, Narodnaya Volya reporter Ales Sivaha and Natallya Kastsyukovich from tut.by were seized at the same time.

In the photo: strike in Zhdanovichy market