The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) has condemned an attack against a journalist that was carried out earlier this week by police in Belarus.
The OSCE's representative on freedom of the media, Dunja Mijatovic, issued a statement on January 27 calling on the authorities in Minsk to ensure Paval Dabravolski's safety.
Dabravolski, a journalist with the Tut.by news website, was beaten by police while covering the detention of two protesters in a court building in Minsk on January 25.
Dabravolski's face was bruised in the attack. He was then detained and fined by the same court on charges of hooliganism and disobeying the police.
Dabravolski says the police also erased data from his mobile phone.
Mijatovic called the situation "unacceptable," and said police "should facilitate the work of journalists, not obstruct their activities and intimidate them."
