English

Minsk police refuse to meet with representatives of Belarusian Association of Journalists

The Minsk city police department has refused to hold a meeting with representatives of the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) to discuss the treatment of journalists by police during opposition demonstrations.

After numerous unsuccessful attempts to meet with Alyaksandr Ioskin, deputy head of the city police department/public security police chief, the Belarusian Association of Journalists wrote a letter to the police department and asked for a meeting, according to the BAJ website.

Many police officers do not know Belarus' Media Law and make unfounded accusations against journalists, the BAJ noted.

In his reply, Alyaksandr Ioskin, deputy head of the city police department/public security police chief, says that there is no need for more interaction between police and journalists.

Well-trained police officers in special uniforms are deployed during street demonstrations to deal with the media, Mr. Ioskin says. The "information groups" provide information to reporters, answer their questions and explain various regulations, he says.

Seven journalists were grabbed by police during a demonstration that was staged in Minsk on September 18 to call for boycotting that week's House of Representatives elections. One of them, Syarhey Hryts, was punched in the face and had his spectacles broken by an athletic plainclothesman.
All detainees were released without charges a few hours later.//BelaPAN