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Minsk court sentenced four opposition activists & journalists to administrative arrests

The action took place on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in Minsk on April 26

MINSK, April 29 (Itar-Tass) - A district court in Minsk on Monday sentenced four participants in the Chernobylski Shlyakh (The Chernobyl Way) opposition action and two journalists to administrative arrests for a period from three to ten days.

The action took place on the occasion of the 27th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in Minsk on April 26. The Belarusian opposition has been organizing the action (locally known as Chernobylski Shlyakh) annually on April 26 since 1988.

Six opposition activists were taken to court. They include Radio Racja correspondents Gennady Barbarich and Alexander Yaroshevich; the participants in the European Belarus civil campaign Alexander Tarnagurskiy and Dmitry Chernyak; human rights activist Vyacheslav Dashkevich and the activist of anarchical movement Igor Trukhanovich.

The journalists and activists of the European Belarus movement were accused of disobedience to police. Trukhanovich was also charged with illegal picketing.

An authorized march and a rally were held in Minsk this year to commemorate the 27th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident.

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