A district court in the Belarusian capital Minsk sentenced a group of Food Not Bombs activists to 15 days arrest. Some of the activists were also ordered to pay 440 euro fines. Their “crime”: distributing free food and medical care to those who need it.

During the trial, a police witness said that he arrested the FnB volunteers for “participating in a rally, because they were feeding the homeless by being [in the possession of] pots. According to the court documents, the activists were distributing “unidentified food”.

In a statement, ABC Belarus said:

On January 23, our comrades from the initiative Food not Bombs were detained in Minsk. For the last 15 years,  the activists have been holding food distributions every weekend at three different locations in Minsk. We distribute food to homeless and needy people and this is our protest against world poverty and hunger because huge funds are spent not on human needs, but on the maintenance of the army and police. It was because of our activity that the Belarusian police raided our distribution points, taking activists and homeless people. In the courts, the witness cops were hiding under other people’s names, allegedly for their own safety.

Almost all activists received 15 days of arrest and some also a fine of 440 euros. We urge the world public to express solidarity with detained anarchists and activists of the Food not Bombs initiative.

Solidarity is our strength!

In total, four FnB activists were sentenced to 15 days arrest. Two street medics who were providing medical care were sentenced to the same time. Additionally, two more people saw their cases sent for a review, however, they will wait for the outcome of it behind bars.

Photo: solidarity protest with FnB Minsk in Warsaw, Poland. Via Anarchistyczny Czarny Krzyż (ABC).