He sprayed the Belarusian embassy in Prague: Caught in the act, immediately sentenced
photo: editorial source/Embassy of the Republic of Belarus
WE KNOW FIRST On Friday, a colorful message was placed at the Belarusian embassy in Prague. First, it was heavily stained with red paint, and then the black inscription “Freedom for Ihar A.” was added to this background. The purpose is to draw attention to the twenty-year sentence of Igor Olinevič (Ihar Alinevič), whom not only Belarusian human rights organizations refer to as a political prisoner.
We reported on this over the weekend. But the story has a sequel. As our editors managed to find out, the aforementioned perpetrator was caught in the act. “The case was resolved in abbreviated preliminary proceedings, when the man was informed of the suspicion of the criminal offense of damaging another’s property according to section §228/2,” Prague police spokesman Jan Rybanský told our editorial office.
“Subsequently, the entire file was handed over to the State Attorney’s Office for Prague 7 for further investigation,” he added.
According to our other findings, the person in question has already been convicted. “On Friday, the court decided on a sentence of three months with a conditional suspension of fifteen months,” said the source, who provided the PrahaIN.cz server with both information about the sprayed wall of the Belarusian embassy and photos from the scene.
“The punishment is not having a fact, but it is also a punishment to discourage the expression of solidarity with facts. There will only be a transfer of activities to another field and solidarity will be manifested in a different form,” said the mentioned man in a statement available to us.
What activities and where they will take place have not been specified.
Bohemka files a criminal report
Just a few hours later, in another part of the city, in Vršovice, there was widespread vandalism.
An as yet unknown perpetrator sprayed the mural of the local club Bohemians 1905 (we wrote first). In this case, the police are at a loss. At least for now.
“The stadium cameras did not catch anyone, but the cameras of the city police are recording,” Bohemians 1905 director Darek Jakubowicz told the PrahaIN.cz server on Monday. The club’s management has not yet received a report from the police. As Jakubowicz confirmed to us, they are not going to wave their hands over the whole thing. “A criminal complaint has been filed against an unknown perpetrator,” added the director of the currently fifth club in the Fortuna league table.
The mural has been repaired.
Damaged mural. photo-: Vít Hassan for PrahaIN.cz