MINSK (Sputnik) - RIA Novosti photojournalist Ilya Pitalev, who was detained and then released in Belarus, said on Tuesday that he had left detention facility in Zhodino and was heading to Smolensk together with the staff of the Russian consulate.
"I have already left the jail, the deputy consul took me. Now we are drawing up some documents and, without stopping in Minsk, we will go to Smolensk," Pitalev told Sputnik.
According to him, other Russians are being deported with him. Zhodino is located about 40 miles from Minsk.
The photographer said that he had been detained on Monday at about 6:30 p.m., when he was going to an unauthorized opposition rally near Minsk Hero City Obelisk. His camera caught the attention of the riot police.
"They drew up a protocol, which, in fact, they were copying. I allegedly took part in the action. They only smiled politely at my statements that I was not going to rally," the photographer said.
Pitalev spent the night in the Pervomaisky district police department of Minsk, then spent the whole day in the Zhodino pre-trial detention facility.
"I ate porridge, though it didn't taste good. The tea was without sugar. But they didn't beat me. There were 24 people in the cell with eight beds. Most of the protesters - someone went to the action, someone just passed by," he said.
According to the photojournalist, he was treated well, and his camera was not damaged.
