The photographer has been beaten and arrested

(Фотограф был избит и арестован). Привет! Вчера было 90-летие празднования дня рождения Белорусии. В Минске, политическая оппозиция устроила митинг на главной площади в центре города. Настоящее время сильно отличается от времени, когда проводились акции протеста. На сей раз специальные силы полиции действовали яростно против аккредитованных фотокорреспондентов. Андрей Ленкевич - местный аккредитованный фотожурналист. Он присутствовал там и был избит полицией. Свидетели утверждают, что его лицо было в крови. В настоящий момент он арестован КГБ, находится в заключении, будет приговорен судом и размещен в тюрьму. Также сообщается, что много пострадало местных журналистов.
Личный сайт Андрея Ленкевича

Janis Pipars,
photographer

Hello! Yesterday Belarus had 90th birthday celebration in Minsk, Belarus. Political opposition had rally on main square in centre of city. This time was very different from all other protest actions. This time special police forces acted violently against accredited photojournalists. Andrei Liankevich is local accredited photo journalist. He covered this event and had been beaten up by special police. Eyewitness had posted that his face was in blood. By the moment he is arrested by KGB and seams that he will be sentenced and placed in jail. Other reports tells that many local journalists suffered too.

Janis Pipars,
photographer

Фото: Андрей Ленкевич
P>S> В настоящее время фотограф газеты "Наша Нива" Андрей Ленкевич находится в тюрьме "Окрестина" и ожидает суда, как сообщили его коллеги по телефону.
Подробности событий можно посмотреть здесь на белорусском языке http://nn.by/index.php?c=ar&i=16053

Update: Belorussian photojournalist Andrei Liankevich held in custody and facing
jail sentence

Belorussian photojournalist Andrei Liankevich has been beaten and taken in
custody by local special forces during an opposition rally that took place
on March 25th, during the 90th anniversary celebration of Belarus in Minsk.
This particular political opposition rally held on the main square in centre
of the city was very different from all previous protest actions. This time
special police forces targeted and acted violently particularly against
accredited journalists. Various reports state that there were over 30
journalists taken as a result of the event.
Andrei Liankevich is a Minsk-based locally accredited photojournalist. He
has been covering this event while being beaten up by special police.
Eyewitness had posted that his face was in blood. He was arrested by KGB and
is now facing a court hearing and sentence to jail with unjust accusation of
acting as a demonstrator rather than a journalist in the opposition rally.

Andrei Liankevich, 27, is one of the few internationally acclaimed young
talented photographers in Belarus. His work varies from news to profound
stories about art, sexuality and ethnic minorities in the countries of
former USSR, he has also taught photojournalism and shown his works in
recent years in Germany and other EU countries. This year he was nominated
for the prestigious Joop Swart masterclass.

Andrei's personal website:
http://www.liankevich.com/

The international support for his release has been expressed by his agency,
Anzenberger, the World Press Photo Foundation and many other acclaimed
professionals in the field.
Please, refer to the following contacts for further information:

Regina Anzenberger, Anzenberger Agency
regina@anzenberger.com
Telefon: +43-1-587 82 51


Liza Faktor
Director
Objective Reality Foundation