Opposition activist's brother questioned in connection with flag in Vitebsk

The brother of Alena Semenchukova, an activist of European Belarus civil campaign, was questioned by a juvenile inspector.

The boy was asked about a white-red-white flag raised in Vitebsk on May 4, ffight.org reports.

The flag was hung out by unknown activists to support imprisoned Syarhei Kavalenka.

Syarhei describes that day: “My sister and I came to the medical university in the morning of May 4. I graduate from secondary school this year, so I had to register for exams. My sister takes camera almost everywhere she goes. We came early, before 8. We did not enter the building, because I wanted to smoke. We noticed a white-red-white flag waving on a building on the other side of the street. My sister took a photo, because it looked nice. We then saw man, a very strange one. He was either photographing or filming it. She took a photo of him too.

Some days later, my mother was summoned to police for a “conversation”. Later, my sister was called. The sister showed officers of the Kastrychnitski police department a photo of a man who was photographing the flag. He was really strange. Unlike my sister and me, he was able to climb to the roof. Judging by the photo, he was in good shape. Both mum and Lena explained to them we just had gone to university for examination issues. Policemen wanted to talk to me, but I study at school in Rahachou and I don't understand what I must throw everything and go to Vitebsk to see them. Finally, I was called to police in Rahachou. I was questioned at 5 pm on May 25. They said it looked like I had raised the flag. If it did not happen in the morning, it happened at night. I tried to explain I slept at night and simply could not go out because of my mum. It seems they were not looking for a person who really hung out the flag. They continue to accuse me of everything and say I damaged the building where the flag was raised. “