The city court of Orsha settled the case of “disorderly conduct” in which Alexander Lashmankin was accused – a Russian journalist, editor of the news agency “Freedom”, which received official accreditation from the Belarusian Foreign Ministry. The judge Ina Kokhav found the arguments of the charges convincing enough and sentenced him to three days of administrative arrest. The jailed journalist went on hunger strike.

Tonight about 1 a.m. in the town of Orsha, at the first station after crossing the Russian-Belarusian border, Alexander Lashmankin was taken off the train “Chelyabinsk – Brest” by the transport police officers – lieutenant Filippov and police officer Kurochkin. Originally the journalist himself, as well as the human rights defenders who called the transport line station of the Orsha district transport police department, where Lashmankin was detained, were not explained the reasons for detention.

However, it turned out later that the reason for the detention of the accredited journalist was an anonymous telephone call stating that the journalist allegedly transported drugs. It is also reported that amphetamines-like powder was seized from Alexander Lashmankin, and now a mysterious powder was sent for examination.

The International Observation Mission now has serious concerns that in addition to the administrative case against Lashmankin he can be also criminally prosecuted for the “drug” article. It should be emphasized that Alexander Lashmankin was going to visit Belarus for the purpose of fulfilling his professional duties – reporting the situation in the country in connection with the persecution of the opposition and civil society after the presidential elections on December 19th, 2010.

The official reason for the administrative arrest was evidence of the police officers that Alexander Lashmankin at detention was obscenely swearing and waving his arms. The trial of Lashmankin started this morning, originally without a lawyer present and admission to the meeting of the representatives of the public (in particular, those of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee). Later, however, the trial was interrupted and Lashmankin was appointed a state defender – Dmitri Mironov.

According to the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the arrest of Alexander Lashmankin is not connected with his professional activities.

“We look forward to the official reaction of the Russian Embassy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the court's decision in the case of Alexander Lashmankin who in our opinion did not commit anything illegal. Actions of the Belarusian authorities are inconsistent: firstly they officially accredited the journalist, and then began to mend him obstacles in carrying out his professional duties. We will closely monitor the development of this case,” – says Konstantin Baranov, representative of the International Observation Mission in Belarus.

International Observation Mission of the Committee on International Control over the Situation with Human Rights in Belarus

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