Interior Ministry says 800 people were detained “for various violations of public order” on February 27

28 February, BPN. 800 people were detained for “various violations of public order” on the main voting day of the constitutional referendum on February 27, the press service of the Interior Ministry reported.

The ministry said that “an inspection is being conducted to make a legal assessment of their actions.” It is also reported that “facts of illegal sound signals are registered and the work to identify such drivers is being carried out.”

A criminal case under Article 342 of the Criminal Code was initiated on charges of “calling citizens to commit acts that grossly violate public order and organizing mass unsanctioned actions.”

Previously, human rights defenders said they knew the names of 530 detainees participating in the anti-war protests, held yesterday in Belarus.

Local protests against the Russian invasion of Ukraine took place in different regions of the country on main day of voting in the referendum on amendments to the Constitution, designed to further strengthen the power of Aliaksandr Lukašenka.

In the evening, Belarusians gathered near the General Staff of the Armed Forces to protest against the participation of the Belarusian army in the war against Ukraine. Drivers greeted them by honking their car horns.

According to human rights defenders, participants of anti-war rallies were detained in following cities: Baranavičy, Babrujsk, Brest, Viciebsk, Homiel’, Hrodna, Dokšycy, Žlobin, Žodzina, Zaslaŭl’, Minsk, Mahilioŭ, Navapolack, Astraviec, Pinsk, Polack, Svetlahorsk, Sluck, Smarhon.