Krupki: Artist Ales Pushkin sentenced to 13 days of jail
On 8 December the Pushkins’
house in the town of Bobr (in the Krupki district
of the Minsk
region) was visited by their neighbor Yason Lazarevich, who was inebriated and
tried to provoke a fight. The incident was witnessed by Pushkin’s wife, Yanina.
Soon after the neighbor had gone away a police patrol arrived. The policemen
stated they have received a complaint that Mr. Pushkin had beaten a man.
The artist was detained and guarded to the Krupki District Police Department,
where he was kept overnight. In the morning he was taken to the Krupki District
Court. He refused to go there on his own, that’s why, as said by his wife, he
was most probably dragged there. The court sentenced him to 13 days of
administrative arrest.
The head of the district police Mikhail Satsuk refused to comment to the
European Radio for Belarus
on the reasons for Pushkin’s detention.
Bear in mind that Ales Pushkin is well-known for his witty and original artistic
performances against Lukashenka’s regime. He was also imprisoned on the eve of
the previous presidential election, in March 2006.
