Hrodna Authorities Scared By Wave Of Solidarity With National Flag Hero

Siarhei Verameyenka has been summoned to the police for the action “I am just like Vasil Paliakou”.

Hrodna activist Vasil Verameyenka published two photos on Facebook to show his solidarity with Vasil Paliakou, who is serving the 15-day administrative detention for the white-red-white flag. Verameyenka has been summoned to the police for this.

According to Siarhei Verameyenka, two policemen came to his house at about 10 p.m. to ask him about the photos, published on his Facebook page, in which Siarhei and his wife were holding the white-red-white flag, with a sign above “There are people just like Vasil in Hrodna”. The other photo is signed “Just Like Vasil!!!”

- I told the police that I would not talk to them about anything. Then they threw a subpoena in the mailbox so that I would arrive to the police department for an interrogation in the morning of May 17th. It really surprised me - did I violate any law, having published my pictures on Facebook?

Siarhei Verameyenka told Radio Liberty that he was going to make a phone call to the police department first thing in the morning to find out what the police really wanted from him.

Vasil Paliakou is the deputy chairman of the UCP Homel organization. He was detained on May 1 for a white-red-white flag raised during a rally, which was authorized by the city executive committee, and sentenced to 15 days of detention. The 48-year-old politician was on a huinger-strike thoughout this time.

In Hrodna, Siarhei Verameyenka took pictures with a white-red-white flag and published them on the Internet to show solidarity with Vasil Paliakou.