Malady Front activists detained at train station in Minsk

Andrei Sharenda and Mikhas Illin, two local activists of Malady Front youth opposition group, were detained at the train station in Brest. The youngsters planned to travel to Minsk to join the Independence March. Formally, they were detained on suspicion of petty hooliganizm, according to human rights activist Roman Kisliak.

In February-March 2006, ahead of the presidential elections in Belarus, a wave of preventive detentions of democratic activists took place. All deteinees were charged with petty hooliganizm.