Milinkevich Released without Charge after Brief Detention

Alyaksandr Milinkevich, leader of the Movement for Freedom, was released without a charge two and a half hours after being apprehended at the beginning of an open-air public meeting at Minsk’s Malinawka 3 neighborhood on Thursday.

About 100 people gathered in front of the Maximus supermarket at 6 p.m. to meet with the former presidential candidate. As they were about to start asking Mr. Milinkevich questions, police Lieutenant Colonel Mikalay Rutski approached the politician and ordered him to wrap up the meeting. Riot police then bundled him into a vehicle and drove him to a police station.

“While I was in the police station, we spoke at length about the social, economic and political situation in the country and about international issues,” Mr. Milinkevich told BelaPAN. “I don’t rule out that police were waiting for their superiors to tell them what to do to me ahead of Charnobylski Shlyakh [opposition’s April 26 Chernobyl anniversary march].”

A group of the organizers of the march underwent a so-called preventative interview at the Minsk City Prosecutor’s Office on 5 p.m. on Thursday. They refused to sign an official warning against staging unsanctioned demonstrations. Mr. Milinkevich, head of the organizing committee for the demonstration, was not present at the interview. “I phoned the prosecutor’s office to say that I had a very busy schedule,” he said. “They then invited me to come at 2:30 p.m. on Friday.” Mr. Milinkevich pointed out that, just like the other march organizers, he would not sign any warnings, as they do not have any legal basis. //BelaPAN