National Bolshevik activist Paliakou fined for white-red-white flag

Minsk's Tsentralny district court heard an administrative case of National Bolshevik activist Aliaksandr Paliakou.

The activist was detained by the riot police on the evening of May 24 in the hospitality zone near the Palace of Sport for waving the Belarusian national white-red-white flag, Viasna human rights centre reports.

“Two riot policemen came to us and ordered to hide the flag. We obeyed. The same policemen came again later and asked Aliaksandr to follow them for a talk. We waited for him for about an hour. He called and said he was charged with violating article 17.1 of the Administrative Code allegedly for behaving rudely and swearing in public,” charter97.org learnt from Aliaksandr's friends.

Judge Viktoria Shabunia found Aliaksandr Paliakou guilty of violating article 17.1 of the Administrative Code (disorderly conduct) and issued a fine of two penalty units. The activist spent two days in custody.

This is the second detention of National Bolshevik activist Aliaksandr Paliakou during the ice hockey championship. He was preventively arrested on May 6 and sentenced to 10 days in custody. He was released on May 16.