Yan Melnikau gets fined for white-red-white flag
Yan Melnikau
Activist of the "For Freedom"
movement Yan Melnikau was punished with a fine for raising a
white-red-white flag on 25 March in order to congratulate his
compatriots on the Freedom Day.
Aksana Reliava, Judge of
Savetski District Court of Minsk, found him guilty of violating
Article 23.34, part 2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses,
"organization of unauthorized event", and fined him 2,2
million rubles.
According to the observers who monitored the
court proceedings, the verdict was based solely on a police report
and photos from electronic media.
Yan Melnikau raised the
flag in Yakub Kolas Square at 7 p.m. on 25 March. He also handed out
leaflets and congratulated passers-by on the Freedom Day. The action
was held for about ten minutes.
