A court in Minsk has placed a man in custody for three days for publicly wearing a T-shirt that carried a message calling for Belarussian President Alexander Lukashenko to step down.
Yury Rubtsov, 52, donned a T-shirt saying "Lukashenko, go away" at a rally commemorating the victims of political repression in Minsk on Sunday, BBC reported.
On the back of the t-shirt was written: "Fourth time president — no! It's not a president, but a tsar-usurpe.r
Rubtsov was detained for refusing to comply with police demands to take off the T-shirt. Later the Sovetsky District Court formally charged him with disobeying police orders and placed him under arrest.
Rubtsov showed up in court wearing the same T-shirt that had caused all of the trouble. Lukashenko once said he would go away when people ask him to, Rubtsov said.
"That's what I'm doing," he added.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
