Police in Belarus have conducted administrative detentions of two journalists of the Polish-stationed television channel Belsat, broadcasting in Belarusian, Natalya Ganusevich, a spokeswoman for the police department of the Minsk City Executive Committee, told Sputnik on Saturday
MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th September, 2020) Police in Belarus have conducted administrative detentions of two journalists of the Polish-stationed television channel Belsat, broadcasting in Belarusian, Natalya Ganusevich, a spokeswoman for the police department of the Minsk City Executive Committee, told Sputnik on Saturday.
"They were detained within an administrative case. They are currently in the Oktiabrsky District police station of Minsk," Ganusevich said.
As specified by Belsat on its Telegram channel, the detained journalists are Katerina Andreyeva and Max Kalitovsky. Their equipment was confiscated, according to the broadcaster.
Belarusian opposition initiated mass protests nationwide after a presidential election on August 9 saw incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko reelected for a sixth term. While according to the electoral authorities he collected over 80 percent of the vote, the opposition has insisted that Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, an opposition candidate, won the election.
Police cracked down on protesters during the first several days of the unrest, but have since halted the excessive use of force. More than 6,700 people were detained during the initial phase of the protest, among them many journalists. According to the Belarusian Interior Ministry, three people died and several hundred others sustained injuries during that period, including more than 130 security officers.
