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A court in the Belarusian capital Minsk has jailed
eight Ukrainian football fans after they sang an
insulting song about Russian President Vladimir
Putin.
One man was sent to prison for 10 days for possessing
fascist symbols. Seven others were jailed for five days
for using obscene language.
They had joined in anti-Putin chants and songs at
the Euro 2016 qualifier between Ukraine and Belarus.
A number of Belarusian fans were also convicted and
fined.
Both local and visiting fans at the Euro 2016 qualifier
between Ukraine and Belarus in Borisov came together
in a rousing rendition of a well-known song - which
has became a popular expression of opposition to
Putin in Ukraine, the Belarusian paper Nasha Niva
reports .
Belarusian fans are also heard voicing their
solidarity with their Ukrainian counterparts by
chanting the signature slogan of the Maidan protests
in Kiev - Slava Ukrayini ("Glory to Ukraine").
The Ukrainians return the favour by chanting Zhyve
Belarus ("Long live Belarus").
After the match, about 100 Ukrainian and 30
Belarusian were initially held and taken to the local
KGB station, according to the opposition website
Charter '97.
A court later sentenced seven Ukrainians to five days
in prison for "foul language", the Ukrayinska Pravda
news website reports .
Four others were fined, while one Ukrainian fan was
given a 10-day sentence for allegedly wearing a
swastika on his clothing.
It's not the first time the anti-Putin song has made
waves. In June, Russian officials called for the
resignation of the then Ukrainian Foreign Minister,
Andriy Deshchytsya, after he joined Kiev protesters
in insulting Putin.
The authorities in Moscow are frowning on fruity
language more generally - in April, parliament
passed a bill that bans swearing from films , music
and other works of art.
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