A press conference of human rights defenders regarding the events in Minsk was held at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center.

Today, in Minsk, 57 international observers, activists, journalists and human rights activists, who had monitored and covered the peaceful march on the Freedom Day, have been arrested in the office of the “Viasna” human rights organization.

Leading human rights organizations in the OSCE region: the International Federation for Human Rights, Frontline Defenders, International Partnership for Human Rights, the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union, Truth Hounds, Tbilisi Shelter City/ACICC and Crimea SOS on behalf of the Civil Solidarity Human Rights Platform prepared the press conference on the events in Minsk.

Human rights activists said that the Belarusian authorities detained activists and journalists to prevent them from monitoring the peaceful march in Minsk. The joined human rights organizations condemned the violation of the rights of peaceful assembly, expression and association, and freedom to work in the field of human rights that were demonstrated today in the capital of Belarus.

Oleksandra Delemenchuk, a representative of the Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union and the Civil Solidarity Platform, said that currently, 250 people received administrative detention for ten days. 26 people were arrested on criminal charges.

Background photo – svaboda.org (RFE/RL)