Homel: police burst into hunger-strikers’ apartment

Policemen and people in mufti burst into a private house of democratic activist in Homel on Friday evening.

Protesting against judgments for a picket in the memory of kidnapped interior minister Yury Zakharanka, participants of the picket joined the dry hunger strike of opposition activist Uladzimir Katsora, arrested for three days.

As RFE/RL learned from head of the regional organization of the United Civil Party Vasil Paliakou who is also on hunger strike in the house in Paleskaya Street 52, people in mufti tore off a banner Hungry Strike of Protest. The attackers aimed a blow at Paliakou.

The banner was fixed in the yard on two high poles so that the text could be read from the street. A group of policemen tore another banner and an EU and national white-red-white flags on the house facade.

Having removed the banner, the policemen burst into the house, where a literary and musical event Testament of Anatol Sys dedicated to the poet’s 50th birthday anniversary was talking place. Singer Andrei Melnikau, poet Larysa Ramanava and artist Ales Pushkin took part in the event. The police put down the passport details of the people present.

Seven Homel activists went on hunger strike on 26 June protesting against unlawful persecution of participants of the picket Chain of Concerned People. The action was held 7 May 7, the tenth anniversary of disappearance of the former interior minister Yury Zakharanka.

Bear in mind that the organizer of the picket Uladzimir Katsora, sentenced to three days of administrative arrest, went on dry hunger strike on 25 June. On 26 June participants of the picket Vasil Paliakou, Anatol Paplauny, Yury Zakharanka, and Piotro Kuzniatsou as well as Uladzimir Syakerka, Valer Rybchanka, and Svyatlana Mikhalchanka (who are solidary picketers) joined the strike.