On March 19, the police detained Belarusian anarchist and former political prisoner Mikalai Dzyadok at 21:25 in Chaikina street in Minsk.
According to the police officers the ground for the detention was a protocol drawn upon the activist under Art. 17.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences (petty hooliganism). The case was initiated against him for allegedly writing insults aimed at the police on the walls of a hostel in Chyhunachnaya street. If Dzyadok is found guilty, he may be sentenced to a fine of up to 810 rubles or even administrative arrest.
Mikalai Dzyadok was taken to Savetski district police department. Notably, when reached by human rights defenders, a duty officer denied the fact of the activist’s being in the police station.
At the moment, he is being kept in the predetention facility, HRC Viasna reports.
A day earlier, the police detained Dzyanis Urbanovich, the leader of the youth opposition organisation Young Front, saying the man was on the wanted list over unpaid fines. After spending several hours in the police station, Urbanovich was released. During a so-called preventive conversation, the policemen insistently questioned him about the organisation’s plans to celebrate Belarus’ unofficial Freedom Day on March, 25.
