Freedom Day in Belarus

25 March is the Freedom Day for the democratic part of Belarusian society. This year more then 10000 people went into the Minsk streets for the peaceful demonstration. About 100 of them were detained before and during the action. The most horrified thing was that for the first time since Soviet time Belarus has met the case of punitive psychotherapy. (27-MAR-07)
Illustrated by www.svaboda.org , www.nn.by

KGB Preventive actions 
Annually thousands of people come out into the streets for the peaceful rally to celebrate the day of Belarusian Popular Republic declared in 1918. Annually there are hundreds of beaten, detained and arrested persons as far as current authorities do not legitimate this holiday.
This year traditionally Belarusian KGB has conducted huge preventive job with activists of democratic movement and political parties. Students were warned of the administrative responsibility up to deduction for the participation in this action. Those who work were threatened with dismissal.
Preventively about 40 activists were arrested all around the country because of “hooliganism”. (This article of administrative Code is the most ‘convenient’ for the police- minimum facts and witnesses (usually these are policemen) and easy to fill in a protocol. All the detentions were conducted with the gross violation of the Code).
4 Criminal cases against young activists were brought under article 193.1 of the Criminal Code of Belarus, activity on behalf of unregistered organization.
Belarusian TV warned citizens about the criminal responsibility if people come to the Central square of Minsk on 25 March.

 
Punitive psychotherapy
The activist Krystsina Shatsikava became the first victim of punitive psychotherapy in the newest history of Belarus. She was abducted by unknown men in civil close during daylight hours on 23 March.
In violation of the Law “about psychiatric assistance”, she was placed into a mental hospital of Mahiliou city against her will, because of her political convictions. In the hospital she underwent medical procedures, including injection of psychotropic agents or tranquilizers. Doctors asked her about her contacts, her plans for the 25 March, her private life.
She was release from the hospital only 26 March. Doctors did not find any medical cause for keeping Kristina there.
The authorities created a precedent of medical persecution for political reasons, when every representative of pro-democratic political parties and movements may get into a “madhouse”.

Afterwards
Some of detained people were released after they had given explanations of their actions to the police. Most of the arrested persons have got 2 to 12 days of imprisonment. Another part was punished by fines- the biggest one is about 250 $. More then 10 activists are still in prison.
Kristina and her representatives start the process of appealing of doctors’ and policemen’s actions.

Reactions
MFA of Check Republic and Slovakia distributed the statements where they call up for an immediate release of all prisoners of conscious and people arrested during the celebrations of the “Freedom Day“. Citizens of many European countries hold the actions of solidarity on the support of Freedom Day.