Independent journalists denied access to Belaya Rus congress

Journalists from privately owned media house were today denied access to the founding congress of the Belaya Rus public association, which is speedily launching its regional banches across the nation. At the entrance to the Musical Comedy Theater, where the congress is taking place, Kiryl Zhyvalovich and Dzmitry Brushko of Belgazeta and Andrej Alexandrovich of Ezhednevnik were detained by the guards. In respond to the journalists's request to justify the hurdles for their professional duties, the guards called police.

The founding congress of the Belaya Rus association is taking place on Friday in Minsk. On June 21, Minskers were encouraged "to unite efforts in order to support the course of the government to defend our citizens from the destroying influence of external advisers, to combine the experience and knowledge of the older generation and the power and capabilities of the younger generation".

The list of the initiators includes ONT anchor Alexander Averkov, Vice CEO Belarusian Printing House Yury Arykhouski, MP Iryna Aliaksanava and Olympic champion Alexander Medzvedz and others, according to Charter'97 and Zviaszda newspaper.