Interior Ministry Reports Detention of Five People Over Negative Online Comments About Officials and Police Officers

Reform.news Editorial Team · 4 November 2026, 10:54

https://reform.news/en/interior-ministry-reports-detention-of-five-people-over-negative-online-comments-about-officials-and-police-officers/

Belarusian law enforcement officers have detained five people over negative comments posted online about senior government officials and police officers. The Interior Ministry’s press service reported the detentions.

“Monitoring of social media led to the identification of five residents of various regions of Belarus, aged between 36 and 66, who had posted negative comments about senior government officials and officers of the Minsk police. They admitted their guilt and said their actions were partly influenced by alcohol,” the statement said.

The detainees are being investigated. A procedural decision on whether to bring them to account will be made once the checks are completed.

Footage released by the authorities suggests that the arrests were carried out with the support of armed officers. The Interior Ministry also published videos featuring the detainees.

“I posted a negative comment about the death of an officer. I regret it and apologise,” one man says.

“I want to say that, of course, I regret that this happened at all. I posted it while drunk, without thinking,” another man says.