Yan Melnikau gets fined for white-red-white flag

Activist of the "For Freedom" movement Yan Melnikau was punished with a fine for raising a white-red-white flag on 25 March in order to congratulate his compatriots on the Freedom Day.

Aksana Reliava, Judge of Savetski District Court of Minsk, found him guilty of violating Article 23.34, part 2 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, "organization of unauthorized event", and fined him 2,2 million rubles.

According to the observers who monitored the court proceedings, the verdict was based solely on a police report and photos from electronic media.


Yan Melnikau raised the flag in Yakub Kolas Square at 7 p.m. on 25 March. He also handed out leaflets and congratulated passers-by on the Freedom Day. The action was held for about ten minutes.