Hromadske: Ukrainians detained in Minsk are our colleagues, not involved in protests

"Hromadske was trying to get official accreditation from the country's authorities for a month but, unfortunately, it was not issued. As a result, we had to cover events [in Belarus] without accreditation. Our colleagues stayed in the country for less than a day and managed to prepare one article which was published on our website on the same day," reads the statement released by Hromadske.

Hromadske asserts that Kostiantyn Reutsky and Yevhen Vasylyev did not prepare and were never involved in any riots either in Belarus or in any other country.

In this regard, the editorial staff of Hromadske calls on the Belarusian authorities to release their colleagues, return them to Ukraine, and not to hinder the freedom of speech.

"We call on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the Embassy of Ukraine in Belarus, and the President to take all necessary measures to prevent the emergence of new political prisoners, this time in Belarus," the statement says.

It is reported with reference to Belarusian human rights activist Tatyana Ravyaka that a criminal case was opened against Reutsky and Vasylyev in Belarus under the "mass riots" article which provides for 3 to 8 years in prison.

As reported, Ukrainian citizens Kostiantyn Reutsky and Yevhen Vasylyev were detained in Minsk at about 17:00 on August 12. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stressed that the Embassy of Ukraine in Belarus was taking measures to establish their place and conditions of detention.

ol