Syarhei Kavalenka got 7 days of arrest for white-red-white flag in court

• 21.04.2010, 13:37

Syarhei Kavalenka, an activist of the Conservative Christian Party BPF, stood trial in Vitsebsk on April 21.

Judge Inna Hrabouskaya sentenced the activist to seven days of arrest for an action held by Syarhei Kavalenka with a national white-red-white flag near the Kastrychnitski district court on April 20, Radio Svaboda informs.

Kavalenka was accused of holding an unauthorized action, which violates an article of the Administrative Code of Belarus on organizing and second participation in unauthorized actions.

On April 21, his bother Vital Kavalenka stood trial. He was detained yesterday and accused of relieving himself in a public place. The accusation is absolutely far-fetched. Vital was detained after a national flag had appeared over the militia department, where his brother was kept.

We remind that on April 20, Syarhei Kavalenka was to stand trial in connection with a criminal case over hanging out a national white-red-white flag on a Christmas tree in Vitsebsk. The trial was postponed until May 12 after Syarhei Kavalenka had raised a white-red-white flag in the court building and had been detained.

Belarusian human rights activists say persecution for hanging out a white-red-white flag is unlawful.