News for 30 жніўня 2007
Polish Spies to Be Tried the Same Day with 'Young Front' Activists
On 29 August we learned that the court hearings on the espionage case will start at the military college board of the Supreme Court on 4 September. The trial will be closed.
Chernobyl Liquidator Vasil Silivestr Stops Hunger-strike
On 27 August the liquidator of the consequences of Chernobyl accident Vasil Silivestr came from Kalinkavichy to the Homel scientific-practical center of radiation medicine to make a public statement about termination of the hunger-strike of protest that was started by him last week.
Mikalai Autukhovich: Repentance for Parole?
A well-known entrepreneur Mikalai Autukhovich has served almost half of the 3,5 years to which he has been sentenced for alleged non-payment of taxes. Recently he has passed a letter to his friends and relatives. There he writes that most probably he would not be granted parole (though those who have served a half of the term can count on it).
Riot Squad Not Punished for Beating a Girl
Maskouski district police department of Minsk refused to bring a criminal case on beating of a youth activist Tatsiana Tsishkevich by riot police. The girl was beaten by them on Solidarity Day, 16 August, while trying to prevent the detention of a youth leader Mikita Sasim by them. They threw her on the ground and started kicking her in the back, legs and head.
Homel: Youth Activist Declares Dry Hunger-strike
At 2 p.m. on 29 August Chyhunachny district court of Homel sentenced a member of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Kanstantsin Zhukouski to 5 days of jail and 930 000 (about 430 US dollars) rubles fine.
Trial of Young Front Activist Yaraslau Hryshchenia to Take Place on 10 September
On 29 August the youth activist Yaraslau Hryshchenia received a summons from Baranavichy district court. According to this document the trial will start at 9.30 a.m. on 10 September. The name of the judge is not known yet. Hryshchenia is charged under article 193.1 of the Criminal Code, ‘activities on behalf of unregistered organization’. On 4 September the Young Front activists Ivan Shyla and Nasta Azarka will be tried: the former in Salihorsk and the latter – in Niasvizh.
Minsk City Court Leaves Verdict to Kanstantsin Lukashou in Force
In the evening of 28 August Minsk city court left unchanged the verdict to Kanstantsin Lukashou, two years of conditional imprisonment for alleged resistance to the police.
Criminal Cases Can Be Brought against More Young Front Members
The prosecutor’s office of Baranavichy has brought a criminal case on the fact of making political graffiti on the walls of Baranavichy city court.
Hrodna: Prosecutor’s Office Struggles against ‘Discredit of Police’
On 29 August the journalist Ivan Roman was called to Leninski district prosecutor’s office of Hrodna. The prosecutor started investigating if Ivan Roman had been the author of ‘the governmental body discrediting’ news story published at Radio Ratsyja website in July.
UN Commission Pays Interest to Investigation of Zakharanka’s Disappearance
The UN Commission on Enforced and Involuntary Disappearance resumed its interest in the case of the former interior minister Yury Zakharanka who had disappeared in 1999. A couple of days ago a corresponding UNO claim was received by the Zkharankas’ lawyer Aleh Volchak. According to him, the UN Commission is to gather at its extraordinary meeting for considering the record of investigations of the disappeared policymakers’ cases in Belarus. The Commission is eager to learn the viewpoints of all the sides involved in the process.
Russian Citizen on Hunger-strike in Minsk Prison
On 24 August the citizen of Russia Nikolai Kostishev imprisoned in jail #1 went on hunger-strike. The organizing committee for creation of the Belarusian committee for protection of prisoners’ rights Over the Barrier was informed about it by one of the prisoner’s relatives.
