The Court Order

Four Belarusian citizens detained in Ukraine and released yesterday upon court order for the absence of crime in the act returned in Minsk today. The civil initiative Charter’97 coordinator Zmitser Bandarenka, Zubr coordinator Uladzimer Kobets, one of the leaders of the European coalition “Free Belarus” Zmitser Barodka and the Zubr press secretary Alyaksandr Atroschankaw were detained on the night of November 24th/25th at the Ukrainian-Belarusian border by Ukrainian law-enforcers. The Belarusians were on their way from Kyiv, where they had been taking part in the protest rallies in support of Viktor Yushchenko at Maidan Nezalezhnosti (Independence Square). Today they tell that officers participated in the catch action told that the order to arrest them was issued by Kuchma’s Administration.