BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

21/06/2006

Belarusian oppositionist fined for flying banned flag on television tower

A court in Vitsebsk on June 19 fined Krystsina Shatsikava some $2,200 for hanging up a white-red-white flag on a television-transmitter tower in Vitsebsk on June 18 (see "RFE/RL Newsline," June 19, 2006), RFE/RL's Belarus Service and Belapan reported. A white-red-white flag was the official symbol of independent Belarus before Lukashenka became president in 1994 and banned the flag the following year. "It was my rebellion against what is taking place in the country, against the information blockade," Shatsikava said in the court. The policeman who hauled Shatsikava down from the television tower said in the court that she "put up resistance, was excited, tried to bite," and kicked him. Meanwhile, a witness of the incident told RFE/RL on condition of anonymity that Shatsikava was harshly beaten by servicemen who were involved in getting her down.

Source:

http://social.moldova.org/stiri/eng/13339/

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