Six Administrative Protocols and No Excuses from Loyeu
Four administrative charges have been brought against freelancer Kastus Zhukouski and two charges against his colleague Aliaxei Atroshchanka as a result of the rough detention in Loyeu on June 21.
The journalists were taking a video recording of the local brick factory which was said to be in a crisis. First, two official representatives appeared and ordered to stop recording and show documents; then they called the police. According to Aliaxei Atroshchanka, five policemen performed the detention, including two sub-colonels.
Kastsus Zhukouski is charged with insulting two official representatives and the policeman who detained him (two administrative reports); the third charge was for disobedience to the police officer (first deputy head Henadz Madzhara); the fourth charge was for minor hooliganism. According to the reports, Zhukouski shouted, uttered curses and through his actions demonstrated outright disrespect to the public.
Aliaxei Atroshchanka is charged with insulting the officials and disobeying lawful police’s demands: he allegedly insulted the two women, official representatives, and then he refused to get into the police car to go to the police department.
The journalists spent around six hours in the police department. The administrative reports were not compiled straightaway, they were drawn up a week later and sent to the accused by post.
The next day after the detention, the Minister of the Interior Ihar Shunevich promised to check lawfulness of the actions: “Any information about lawfulness of activities of our employees will be checked, including this case. We do not ignore any report of the kind. We will give assessment of the incident.”