Charges against Syarhei Kavalenka modified

The oppositionist from Vitsebsk who put a white-red-white flag on the top of a New Year Tree in Vitsebsk, is charged under two articles of the Criminal Code already.

As said by Syarhei Kavalenka, he learnt from the materials of the case that charges against him had been modified, Radio Svaboda informs.

Syarhei Kavalenka believes that now he is charged with violation of Part one of Article 339 (deliberate act outraging public order and demonstrating obvious contempt to the public and accompanied by use of force or a threat of force or damage to property or qualified by extreme cynicism (hoologanism).

The punishment under this article is up to three years of restriction of freedom. Besides, the activist is charges under Article 363 of the Criminal Code (resistance to police worker or other person keeping public peace). Syarhei Kavalenka can face from two to five years of imprisonment for that.

At the moment Syarhei Kavalenka is undergoing psychiatric expert examination in the mental hospital in Vitsebsk, which had been ordered by the investigation group in his case.

We remind that on January 7 a national white-red-white flag was hung out at the top of the 35-meter New Year’s Tree at Victory square in Vitsebsk. Syarhei Kavalenka, 34, was detained near the tree. On January 10, he was thrown into a temporary detention facility for two months on a decision of the prosecutor of Vitsebsk. A case under article 339, part 2 of the Criminal Code (repeated hooliganism, or committed by a group of persons, or connected with committing less serious bodily harm) was instigated against him. Under this article a punishment could be up to 6 years of imprisonment. On January 12 the oppositionist was released with a written undertaking not to leave the place.