Belarusian authorities arrest Polish journalist

The newspaper Gazeta Wyborcza reports that its correspondent, Andrzej Poczobut, has again been remanded in custody for 72 hours. The Belarusian Prosecutor in Grodno claims that this is because the journalist broke his commitment to not leave the city. In fact, after being detained in the evening on Wednesday, Poczobut was told he had to sign such an undertaking. He refused and said that he would be going to Minsk where on Thursday he was to speak on a television link-up with Deputies of the European Parliament about persecution of the Belarusian opposition. After leaving the Prosecutor’s Office, he set off for the capital where he was again detained and this time placed under arrest.

It is clear that the Belarusian authorities detained Andrzej Poczobut in order to prevent him from speaking with the European Parliament deputies.