Homel Police Detain People for Celebrating Lukashenka’s Birthday

On 30 August in the center of Homel the police in mufti detained four youth activists: Siarhei Astafonau, Vital Birukou, Andrei Tsianiuta and Zmitser Zhaleznichenka. The detainees were told that they were suspected in robbery. All of them were taken to Tsentralny district police department of Homel for ‘identification’. 

According to Hart, a group of youth gathered in the city center to hold an action dated to Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s birthday. The activists brought small portraits of Lukashenka that could be taken by anyone who wanted such a portrait. Besides, the youngsters composed a petition for declaring 30 August a state holiday of Belarus, and started collecting people’s signatures under it. Zmitser Zhaleznichenka said that they managed to gather about 20 persons who supported this idea.