In one incident 11 detainees were repeatedly kicked, punched, beaten with truncheons and forced to the floor of the police bus in which they were being transferred to a holding centre. One female detainee, a mother of three, alleged she was verbally abused and threatened with rape. Several of the detainees who subsequently brought official complaints against the police officers were reportedly later subjected to harassment and intimidation. Thousands of Belarusians will take to the streets to peacefully protest the unpopular presidency of Alyaksandr Lukashenka and the continued violations of human rights in Minsk on Sunday during the Freedom March 2000 demonstration.
Peaceful assembly is a fundamental human right and is enshrined in international law.
Amnesty International has repeatedly expressed concern about the arbitrary detention of demonstrators who peacefully exercise their right to freedom of assembly. The organization also condemned frequent reported acts of ill-treatment of detainees by police officers. At least 30 journalists and covering the demonstration and a number of prominent human rights activists were also deliberately targeted by the authorities.