European flags to be burnt in police department of Pershamajski district of Minsk

An activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Pavel Yukhnevich has been returned office equipment previously confiscated in his flat, but policemen decided to burn his flags of the European Union.

As the Charter’97 press-centre is informed by Pavel Yukhnevich, today he has been returned 2 laptops, a photo camera and a video camera illegally confiscated from his flat 10 days ago. Data carriers were returned to him as well, but information was deleted.

Policemen refused to give back the seized flags of the European Union, oppositional leaflets, newspapers and stickers. As Pavel Yukhnevich was told by police captain Zmitser Slizh, all these articles would be “liquidated”. As said by the policeman, the printed materials are to be liquidated as they have “anti-state content”. Policemen couldn’t explain why the flags, the official symbols of the EU would be burnt. “We have received an order,” representatives of the police department of Pershamajski district said.

As the Charter’97 press center has already reported, 10 policemen burst into an apartment, hired by activist of the civil campaign “European Belarus” Paval Yukhnevich. They opened the door with the help of an apartment’s owner. Policemen said their visit was connected with a criminal case instigated over a theft. Two computers, a camcorder, a camera, stickers “European Belarus”, EU flags, and portraits of missing opposition leaders were confiscated during the search.

Youth leaders Yauhen Afnahel, Paval Yukhnevich and three more activists, who were in the apartment at that time, were arrested and guarded to the Pershamajski district police department for questioning, but not in the criminal case over a theft. Policemen didn’t remind about it any more. The guardians of order were interested only in one thing – where the activist had got the printed materials, which were regarded by policemen as “anti-state” for some reason.