GERMANY CONDEMNED BELARUSIAN AUTHORITIES FOR SATURDAY'S CRACKDOWN ON ANTI-GOVERNMENT ACTIVISTS AND DEMANDED THE RELEASE OF ALL DETAINED PROTESTORS, INCLUDING DEPUTY OPPOSITION LEADER ALEKSANDER KOZULIN, DPA REPORTED. 'THE BASIC RIGHT OF FREE EXPRESSION AND FREE ASSEMBLY MUST INCLUDE BELARUS,' FOREIGN MINISTER FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER SAID. POLICE IN THE BELARUSIAN CAPITAL MINSK DETAINED KOZULIN AS THEY BROKE UP A NEARLY WEEK-LONG PROTEST AGAINST PRESIDENT ALEKSANDER LUKASHENKO'S MARCH 19 RE-ELECTION, A VOTE THE WEST SAYS WAS FRAUDULENT. KOZULIN WAS LEADING AN ESTIMATED 1,500 DEMONSTRATORS TO A MINSK JAIL SATURDAY IN WHAT HE SAID WAS AN ATTEMPT TO FREE OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS ARRESTED EARLIER. POLICE CHARGED THE CROWD, WITNESSES SAID. STEINMEIER URGED BELARUSIAN AUTHORITIES TO FREE KOZULIN AND ALL OTHER JAILED OPPOSITION ACTIVISTS.
