A/HRC/29/43 E. Arbitrary arrest and detention 53. The Special Rapporteur received credible allegations of a persistent and expanding practice of preventive arrests, administrative arrests and arbitrary detention of citizens in the period immediately preceding important political or social events. This practice has been used in Belarus since 2006,26 and has become systemic. 54. According to documented information provided by a non-governmental organization, all records with regard to the administrative prosecution of protestors and opposition representatives were broken in the first half of 2014. Most cases were associated with preventative arrests before and after conducting peaceful demonstrations or gatherings on civil and political rights (A/69/307, para. 66). The policy continued throughout the year, characterized by the use of repeated short-term “preventive” and administrative arrest of members of human rights organizations. 55. There is an emerging pattern in the misuse of these measures to discourage public civic activism in the whole of society; for example, Pavel Vinogradov, an activist from youth organization Zmena, was arrested 15 times in 2014. The most common reasons for arrest of activists were for “swearing in public”, “hooliganism” or “failure to obey police officers orders”, or all three charges simultaneously, which leads to cumulative sanctions. 56. At least 37 political activists were arrested before the World Ice Hockey Championship held in Minsk in May 2014. All of those arrested had been involved in protest actions, and included representatives of various social and political groups, such as Malady (Young) Front, web activists, and members of football fan clubs. 27 57. Prior to the World Ice Hockey Championship, local authorities also “cleansed” Minsk of what were referred to as “asocial elements”, namely, homeless persons, sex workers, and individuals suffering from alcoholism. While the exact number of persons subjected to this practice is not known, the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported that at least 350 prostitutes had been subjected to administrative arrest during this period of time.28 58. The Special Rapporteur also received reports that, in 2014, eight activists had been subjected to preventive detention prior to the annual demonstration Chernobyl Way, held on the anniversary of the Chernobyl power plant disaster. 29 59. The activists and former political prisoners Zmitser Dashkevich and Alexander Frantskevich were each sentenced to 25 days of administrative arrest, covering both Chernobyl Way and the World Ice Hockey Championships. 30 60. Administrative prosecutions also concern other spheres of public life and events. In January 2015, fans of a local football team in Salihorsk were detained for holding an unauthorized fireworks show.31 It was also reported that, on several occasions, similar arrests were made at rock concerts. 61. The above-mentioned arrests and detentions are justified under section 17.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences, referred to deliberate acts that violate public order. 26 27 28 29 30 31 International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Arbitrary Preventive Detention of Activists in Belarus, 29 September 2014, p. 6. See ibid and FIDH, Arbitrary Preventive Detention (see footnote 26), pp. 7, 18-19. FIDH, Arbitrary Preventive Detention (see footnote 26), p. 7. Ibid., p. 18. Ibid. Vadzim Bylina, “Belarusian authorities crack down on football fans”, Belarus Digest, 23 February 2015. 11