Detained TV Rain Reporters To Be Asked To Leave Belarus - Foreign Ministry

MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th August, 2020) The detained journalists of the Russian tv Rain broadcaster will be asked to leave the territory of the republic, Belarus Foreign Ministry spokesman Anatoly Glaz said on Sunday.

Earlier in the day, TV Rain reported that two of its correspondents and a cameraman had been detained in Minsk. Maria Kolesnikova, a spokeswoman for the campaign team of Viktor Babariko, a former Belarus presidential candidate, told the broadcaster that the journalists had been detained after a short conversation with her on the street.

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that the journalists were detained due to lack of accreditation.

"They are in a police department in Minsk, and necessary procedural actions are being carried out. Then a decision will be taken in accordance with the law. Given that they are foreigners, most likely they will be asked to leave the territory of Belarus," Glaz said.

He stressed that the Belarusian side maintains a constructive working contact on this issue with Russian colleagues, who are actively engaged in the situation with their citizens.