Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko instructed the Foreign Ministry to urgently provide consular protection for the immediate release of Ukrainians who were detained after a football match in Belarus, presidential press secretary Sviatoslav Tseholko has told Interfax-Ukraine.
during yesterday’s game the Belarusian and Ukrainian fans were chanting ‘Zhyvie Belarus!’ (Long live Belarus), ‘Slava Ukraine’ (Glory to Ukraine), ‘Together – Forever’ and were singing a song of Kharkiv football fans ‘Putin kh**lo’.
According to the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry, 15 Ukrainian citizens were detained, and three of them have already been released. Another 12 should be released soon. According to the report, the consul has already visited the Ukrainians.
According to RFE/RL, Barysau court drew sentences to 12 Ukrainians and 12 Belarusians. They were charged with ‘petty crimes’ and ‘being drunk and disorderly’. 7 Ukrainians were sentenced to 5 days of arrest, another one – to 10 Days; 4 Ukrainians and 12 Belarusians were fined.
After Poroshenko’s statement the police started to release Ukrainian detainees (who had not received sentences yet), Belarusian human rights defender Tatsiana Reviaka said on Facebook.
41 football fans including 14 citizens of Ukraine, were detained after a Euro-2016 qualifying game that took place in Barysau on October, 9, the Belarusian police reported earlier.
