Lyavon Volski to stop gig if militia will detain people
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10:46, — Politics
Two Homel opposition activists were detained on Saturday at the absolutely legal concert of the band N.R.M. played in the local cultural center.
32-year-old Kastus Zhukouski was detained by four people – two militiamen and two persons in civvies when he was distributing leaflets with the information about the Belarusian National Republic. 21-year-old Marya Tulzhankova was detained, too. The activists spent the weekend in the pretrial detention center.
Kastus Zhukouski’s wife Alena learnt on Saturday her husband had gone on hunger strike:
On Saturday she went to the detention center to pass warm cloths, and a militiaman said Kastus had gone on hunger strike and written a proper statement. Every time he is put behind the bars, he goes on hunger strike. This time is the third one, Radio Racyja reports.
The activists were accused of hooliganism, the trial is to be held on 17 March. Andrus Tsyanyuta, Kastus Zhukouski’s friend, was waiting since 8am at the building of the court of the Tsentralny District of Homel. Kastus and Marya were guarded to court at 12, and after 20 minutes the verdict was delivered.
Tulzhankova was released, but fined of 10 basic units (about USD 170). Zhukouski was fined of the same sum, but got 14 days of arrest.
– ¬They were guarded to the court as if they were criminals, though they were accused only in hooliganism. Kastus Zhukouski will continue the hunger strike protesting against the verdict. He will be released on 26 March – it’s clear that his detention is connected with the action on Freedom Day, - Andrei Tsyanyuta thinks.
What concerns N.R.M., they are going to play big solo concerts in Minsk, Brest and Hrodna. Band leader Lyavon Volski says he didn’t see anybody was detained during his Homel gig, and was very surprised to know about this incident. The musician says if people are detained at his concert, he will stop the performance:
– I didn’t see from the scene the detention in Homel, I learnt it only after the concert. Actions of the low-enforcement bodies are absolutely illogical, we are again in a very odd situation. We always react to such things and will react – if it happens, we will stop playing and try to solve the problem.
