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Police continue raids on LGBT parties

Police raided LGBT parties at two clubs in Minsk on Friday night.

In the raids on the clubs, called Kasta Dziva and 6A, police officers took down the passport details of those present. According to the website of a group called Alternative Youth Platform, seven people, including reporters, were arrested but allowed to go home shortly afterwards following identification procedures.

Alternative Youth Platform reports that the detainees were asked what their sexual orientation was, whether the club had been visited by under 18-year-olds, and whether visitors had been involved in illegal activities.

Police made a similar raid on the 6A club a week before. Some of the club visitors were brought to a police station and had their passport details taken down before being released without charges.

In January, police raided LGBT parties at the 6A club in Minsk and a club in Vitsyebsk, blocking the exits and taking down the passport details of all those present.

Rights defenders have linked the crackdown on the country’s LGBT community to attempts to get Lambda, a gay rights organization, registered by the justice ministry. Dozens of Lambda founders have been questioned by the police since the group applied to the ministry for registration. //BelaPAN