Eight People Detained for Protest against “Viasna” Liquidation

29.10.2003.

At 11. a.m. on 29 October the trial of the members of “Human Rights Center “Viasna” who expressed their protest against the liquidation of the organization by the Supreme Court of Belarus, will be tried at city police department No. 1 of Leninskaye Borough Board of Internal Affairs (Lenin Street, 11).

Yesterday, on 28 October, after Judge Kulik of the Supreme Court of Belarus pronounced the verdict to satisfy the suit of the Ministry of Justice for liquidation of Human Rights Center “Viasna”, eight members of the organization expressed their protest against by sitting down on the floor of the court hall.

At 5 p.m. the police (possibly, special police forces), led the participants of the protest action through the back door of the court and took them to Minsk Leninskaye Borough Board of Internal Affairs. There the reports about violation of Article No. 166 of the Administrative Code of Belarus were composed. The human rights activists were given summons to court for 11 a.m. on 29 October and released at about 9 .m.

The members of Human Rights Center “Viasna” to be tried:
1. Ales Bialiatski – Head of the PA “Human Rights Center “Viasna”
2. Valiantsin Stefanovich – lawyer of the PA “Human Rights Center “Viasna”
3. Uladzimir Labkovich – lawyer of the PA “Human Rights Center “Viasna”
4. Aleh Zhlutka – translator of the PA “Human Rights Center “Viasna”
5. Uladzimir Vialichkin – Head of the Board of Brest regional branch of the PA “Human Rights Center “Viasna”
6. Aliaksey Kolchyn – co-Head of Mahiliow branch of the PA “Human Rights Center “Viasna”
7. Mikola Lemianowski – representative of the PA “Human Rights Center “Viasna” in the city of Hrodna.
8. Zmitser Salawiow – representative of the PA “Human Rights Center “Viasna” in Navapolatsk.