Organizer Of Party For Ukrainian Refugees' Children Detained In Homel

A 9-year-old girl from the village of New York has come up with the idea of the event.

The police did not allow holding a party for Ukrainian refugees' children in Homel on Monday, June 27, considering it an "illegal event". A day later, witnesses reported to the editorial office of zerkalo.io that local activist and volunteer Alla Karalenka, who helped organize the event, had been detained. Now the woman is in the temporary detention center, but it is not known on what grounds. Also, this is not the only detention - another person is not getting in touch.

The event called "The Day of Birthdays" was announced in advance via open chats of volunteers, who provide assistance to Ukrainian refugees in Belarus.

Its idea belongs to Alisa, a 9-year-old girl who came to Homel from the settlement of New York, Donetsk region, escaping from the war. The meeting was planned for Monday, June 27, in a Homel park, where refugee children from Ukraine and Belarusian volunteers were invited to come.

Gifts and souvenirs, games and contests were planned for the children, and at the end of the event the children were going to make a paper 'dove of peace'. An official application to hold the event had not been submitted.

However, according to a witness, the celebration did not even start - 8 or 9 policemen, as well as a man in plain clothes, came up to the participants and forced everyone to disperse, threatening with "consequences".

A little later the celebration still took place in the form of a "private meeting" somewhere, but several families decided not to participate, just in case.

The next day it was reported that law enforcers detained Homel activist and volunteer Alla Karalenka, who helped organize the event. Now she is in the Homel temporary detention center, but it is not reported on what grounds. Last January, the woman was arrested for organizing a Christmas dance around the Christmas tree in the woods, which the court considered "an unsanctioned rally without the permission of the City Executive Committee."

Witnesses also suspect that another person may have been detained after the Homel party: the man is not available on the phone and his whereabouts are unknown.