Young man fined for white-red-white flag at Krambambulya’s concert

Minsk Zavodski District Court judge Alena Nyakrasava fined Dzmitry Navumenka for 230 roubles (10 base amounts) on August 7, the human rights website Viasna reports.

The young man was detained together with Ivan Lisavets after Krambambulya’s concert in Minsk on August 5. They had hoisted a white-red-white flat at the concert. The young men were accused of petty hooliganism. Policemen said that Navumenka was drunk was bothering passers-by. He did not react to their remarks, the policemen added.  

He drank some beer at the event, Navumenka said. The policemen approached him and his friend when they were leaving the stadium: one of them was wearing the uniform and the other one was in plain clothes. He was not shouting, he was only singing together with the other people but he was not  bothering passers-by and the police did not make any remarks to him, Navumenka said.

Navumenka was aggressive and was using bad language, policeman witness Victar Haruzhy said. The detained was not badgering anyone but he decided that the swearing was bothering citizens, the policeman added.

The lawyer drew the court’s attention to discrepancies in the report. The swearing needs to be public and addressed to someone. He also pointed out time mismatches.

Nevertheless, the judge deiced that Navumenka’s guilt had been proven.