Reputed opera singer Marharyta Lyauchuk facing criminal case over 'mockery of state flag'

The Prosecutor General’s Office of Belarus opened a criminal case under Art. 370 of the Criminal Code for allegedly desecrating the official red-green flag.

According to the prosecutors, L., ‘a woman born in the year of 1990’, and ‘a group of persons’ made a video with scenes of desecrating and blasphemous actions against state symbols no later than June 15.

“L. and an unidentified person threw the flag on the ground and then placed it in a trash can. Subsequently, this video was posted on the Internet, on YouTube video hosting. Any citizen could get access to it without any restrictions or obstacles,” the statement reads.

The press service does not give a name of the person against whom the criminal case was initiated. But there is every likelihood that they refer to Marharyta Lyauchuk, a prominent Belarusian opera singer in exile.

On June 10, the song #YABATSKA in which authors mock at Alyaksandr Lukashenka‘s supporters appeared on the Internet. The performers are Marharyta Lyauchuk and bard Andrey Pauk; after the two creative minds had to flee from home, they settled in Lithuania, where they founded the satirical duo Red Green. In the #YABATSKA video, Marharyta sings and ahows a red-green flag. In one of the episodes, the flag falls to the ground; then it appears to be in the dumpster.

“You can send your congrats! A criminal case was launched against me. These days, it is honourable and even pleasant. And as one highly-respected lawyer said: now it is up to every true Belarusian to have a criminal case. This is a sign of quality. Long live Belarus!” Marharyta Lyauchuk commented on the situation.

In 1991, the white-red-white flag and the emblem Pahonya were adopted as national symbols of the country. However, they were official until the 1995 referendum, when on the tip from Belarusian leader Alyaksandr Lukashenka, who is an ardent adherer of the USSR, they were replaced by the Soviet ones. For years, pro-Lukashenka officials have been linking the white-red-white colours to the opposition. Last December, the authorities said that those Belarusian citizens who would hang out ‘unregistered symbols’ even on their windows or balconies might be penalised under administrative law.

ІІ belsat.eu