Czech Anniversary Protesters Reported Beaten in Moscow

Paramilitary police beat and kicked about 30 people and arrested more than 100 others during protests marking the 20th anniversary of the Soviet-led invasion of Czechoslovakia, dissidents said Monday.

Sergei Grigoryants, editor of the dissident journal Glasnost, demanded a government investigation of “numerous crimes” committed during protests Sunday and an explanation of what dissidents claim is a new police unit created to break up demonstrations.

The arrests came during rallies marking the anniversary of the 1968 Soviet move into Czechoslovakia to stop the liberal reforms of the “Prague Spring.”

Arrested demonstrators were taken to a closed courtroom Monday, and most received jail sentences of 10 to 15 days and fines of up to $320, the dissidents said.

Tass, the official Soviet news agency, provided details in a rare report on court proceedings and carried police accusations that protesters acted illegally.

Tass said 96 people were arrested. But members of the Democratic Union, a new group calling itself an alternative to the Soviet Communist Party, said that as many as 150 people were arrested and dozens were still in jail Monday night, awaiting court appearances.

About 500 demonstrators took part in an initial protest in Pushkin Square, chanting “Prague, Prague, Prague.” They were prevented from holding up banners. About 500 paramilitary officers and police charged and dispersed them.

About 100 people took part in a later protest, which also was broken up, dissidents said.