Man arrested for distributing opposition paper

Police in Baranavicy detained for the second time Viktar Cjapin, an engineer from a local factory, for distributing the officially registered newspaper Tovarisch (Comrade).

Viktar was handing out the newspaper in front of the entrance to the factory before the shift started, when some of the factory guards called the police. Two police sergants, armed with sub-machine guns arrested the activist and took him to a police station.

While at the police station, senior officers found out that the newspaper was officially registered and apologized. The officers also gave the Communist Party activist a written permit, stating that the newspaper was officially registered and allowed for distribution. Viktar Cjapin presented this written permit to his bosses at the factory to justify his absence at the working place for three hours.