“Russian world’s” supporter attacked Barys Khamaida

All the policemen failed stop hooliganism.

25-year-old guy demand from Vitsebsk oppositionist to remove a towel with the Lord's Prayer embroidered on it. This embroidery decorates “the working place” of Barys Khamaida, where he sells independent newspapers, Viasna human rights centre informs.

As said by Barys Khamaida, nothing of the kind had happened to him over a year and a half:

“Today everything was as usual: I opened a white-red-white umbrella, newspapers and magazines. And suddenly an unknown young man came up to me. He started to find fault with me, saying: “Either you are to remove this “duster”, or I am going to tear it off myself!” He even started to threaten: “If you were not an old man, I would beat you” and so on… Then he started to call somebody, he kept quarreling with me for some time, and finally left.”

According to Khamaida, such aggression of the young man could have been caused by Russian propaganda, distribution of little Russian and Soviet flags in Vitsebsk, everything that lowers the Belarusian tradition and independence of Belarus as a state. It is notable that the incident was held right in the centre of Vitsebsk, near the house №28 in Lenin Street, which is called “the blue house” by Vitsebsk dwellers, as it is painted blue. Not far away from it buildings of all main stage agencies are situated, the city and regional executive committees, so there is always lots of police there, surveillance cameras are everywhere. But none of the policemen stopped the actions of the hooligan.

Meanwhile the towel with red embroidery is considered a very important symbol by the oppositionist, as a prayer in Belarusian is written on it. This vyshyvanka is a present from a Vitsebsk activist Antanina Pivanos, and it has its own history. On March 25, 2008 Pivanos decided to make a present to Barys Khamaida and brought him that embroidered prayer. The words created by red threads on the white fabric were considered as an oppositional poster by policemen. And Antanina Pivanos was punished by a fine of two basic units for alleged participation in an unsanctioned picket.

The attempt to challenge the court decision failed, and Pivanos addressed the UN Human Rights Committee. The UN Human Rights Committee supported her: it was recognized that Article 19 of the International Pact on Human and Political Rights was violated in the case of Antanina Pivanos. According to the decision of the Committee, the Belarusian authorities must pay compensation, cove expenses of the activist and return the property, the towel, confiscated by the police. The losses were not compensated, and the towel, which had been put up for sale, was bought by her friends.