Anatol Lyabedzka, Chairman of the United Civic Party of Belarus, and Vyachaslau Siuchyk, the leader of the unregistered Belarusian solidarity movement “Together!”, have been tried in Tsentralny district court in Minsk on Friday.
Anatol Lyabedzka was charged with violating the order of organizing or holding mass events. The politician participated in the rally in memory of victims of Stalinist repression on the eve of All Souls’ Day.
Vyachaslau Siuchyk was accused of usiang bad language during the protests against deploying a Russian air base in Belarus. The action was held on October 4 in Freedom Square in Minsk.
When one of the witnesses, a riot policeman, was testifying against Mr Siuchyk, he had difficulty explaining which slogan he had become concerned about. After taking much pain he finally said aloud: ‘Putin Khu*lo!’, journalist Tatsiana Ulasenka said. Indeed, finding a euphemistic synonym for the chant is not an easy task, the reporter stressed.
As the conflict in eastern Ukraine has deepened in recent months, the chant of ‘Putin Khuylo’ originally used by football fans has become ever more popular among Ukrainians who blame Russia for stoking discontent in the east. Khu*lo is a Russian swearword that might be roughly translated as ‘di**head’. It is also addressed to amoral persons who easily deceive and betray others.
