Interior minister: No responsibility for Pahonia and white-red-white flag
Interior Minister Ihar Shunevich says there are more speculations than the truth in the reports about the detention of football fans.
Shunevich: “Citizens are detained for petty hooliganizm, public swearing, anti-social behavior, etc. There are no other grounds for the police to subject citizens to responsibility. In the situation with the football fans, there was the same situation: they were detained after being warned several times about swearing: there are video records and witnesses testifying to prove it. They did not react, because they were under influence of alcohol. The police acted according to the standard procedures of public order enforcement during mass events, inclduing football matches."
According to the minister, if members of the public need some documents to prove his words, the Interior Ministry will publish them.
Міністр МУС Ігар Шуневіч пра затрыманне футбольных фанатаў за "Пагоню"
The Euroradio reporter asked the minister to clarify whether wearing a T-shirt with the Pahonia symbol or a white-red-white scarf was an administrative offence. Shunevich said that all possible punishable offences and violations of public order were set out in the Administrative Code of Belarus.
“Only lawmakers can introduce new provisions - not police officers. I have not seen such a provision (punishment for a T-shirt with Pahonia, etc. - Euroradio) in the Administrative Code or any other document. I cannot confirm the existence of such a provision."
