Belarusian Foreign Ministry monitors situation with Belarusian football fans detained in Florence
MINSK. Dec 12 (Interfax) - The Belarusian Foreign Ministry is following the situation with the Belarusian football fans detained in Florence via the Belarusian diplomatic mission in Italy, Belarusian Foreign Ministry press officer Dmitry Mironchik told Interfax.
The Italian police detained a group of 61 Belarusian football fans in Florence during a game between Dinamo Minsk and Fiorentina in the evening of December 11, Mironchik said.
"The police said the reason for the detention was aggressive behavior, which was manifested in hooliganism, including against law enforcement officials. Some of the fans were reported to have clubs with them," Mironchik said. As a result, 13 people were arrested and 48 were detained for identification, the Foreign Ministry official said.
"The Belarusian embassy consular service in Rome has established contact with one of the organizers of the group, who said the detainees have no complaints about the way they are being treated and their living conditions. There was a conversation with the administration of the Florentine police, who were asked to ensure the proper treatment of the Belarusian citizens and to promptly inform the embassy of developments," Mironchik said.
According to the police, the citizens who were detained for identification should be released in the very near future and the people who have been arrested will face trial on Friday, he said.
"The consular service of the embassy is in constant contact with the detainees and the Florentine police," Mironchik said.