Ina Studzinskaja, a free-lancer with RFE/RL's Belarusian service, was detained by police and security agents for three hours yesterday while on assignment in Svetlahorsk, a city near Minsk.
Studzinskaja was covering a meeting of opposition activists and local residents.
According to Studzinskaja, a police major with the last name Klepikov grabbed and twisted her arm, preventing her from using her mobile phone to call in a live report for the service's afternoon broadcast. She was then detained and interrogated. She was released after three hours, and reported the incident on the air that evening.
There are reports of other activists being man-handled by Klepikov during detention.
Studzinskaja filed a complaint against Major Klepikov for "rude behavior" and interference with her journalistic duties.
Studzinskaja was covering a meeting of opposition activists and local residents.
According to Studzinskaja, a police major with the last name Klepikov grabbed and twisted her arm, preventing her from using her mobile phone to call in a live report for the service's afternoon broadcast. She was then detained and interrogated. She was released after three hours, and reported the incident on the air that evening.
There are reports of other activists being man-handled by Klepikov during detention.
Studzinskaja filed a complaint against Major Klepikov for "rude behavior" and interference with her journalistic duties.