Vitsebsk: Kavalenka brothers released from jail
Siarhei Kavalenka. Photo by Siarhei Serabro.
On 10 May morning, the Vitsebsk activists Siarhei and Vital Kavalenkas were released from the pre-trial prison where they were kept for a day.
The brothers were detained on 9 May in the morning.
’When we went out of a shop, we were approached by riot policemen who said that we were detained. They searched us and took our belonging away from us. I asked them: ‘What are we detained for? May be, for using obscene language?’ (they also give such formulations). ‘Yes, for obscene language’, they answered. ‘Do you have any dignity?’ I asked them. ‘No, we don’t’, was their reply.’ We drove to the police station, where a report under Article 17.1, ‘disorderly conduct’, was drawn up. Then we were guarded to the pre-trial prison. I had stomach ache, and they had to take me to hospital. I was guarded by two policemen in the ward, as they thought that I will try to escape from the fourth floor.’
In the morning, the trial of the Kavalenkas’ case at the Pershamaiski District Court of Vitsebsk was postponed to 24 May.
Apart from this, on 12 May the Kastrychnitski District Court of Vitsebsk will also try the criminal case that was instigated against Siarhei Kavalenka for hanging out a white-red-white flag over the main New Year tree of Vitsebsk on 7 January.
The trial of the administrative case brought against him for violation of traffic rules and alleged use of obscene language towards the police during his detention on 6 May, was postponed to 25 May. The trial started at the Chyhunachny District Court of Vitsebsk on 6 May, but was delayed as Mr. Kavalenka demanded to provide him a lawyer.
