Trials over Detained Participants of Protest Action in Minsk

22.07.2004.

On 21 July in Minsk there was held an action of protest against 10th anniversary of A. Lukashenka’s presidency. The police detained about 50 persons. Many of them were beaten. A part of the detainees (mainly minors) were let go after the police drew violation reports. Others had to spend the night in the detention center in Akrestsin Street.

Today Minsk Savetski Borough Court considers the administrative cases against the detained action participants. Some of the judges, who haven’t conducted administrative trials before, are drawn to these trials. For instance, the “Zubr” activist Pavel Yukhnevich was judged by the judge Aliaksandr Abdulin, who usually deals with criminal and civil cases, not with administrative ones.

Here are the results of the trials:

1. Yawhen Afnahel, sentenced to 10 days of jail by judge Natallia Skuharava
2. Andrey Asmalowski, fined 30 basic values by judge Skuharava
3. Anastasiya Azarka, sentenced to 5 days of jail by judge Alena Kraychyk
4. Zmitser Bandarenka, one of the leaders of “Charter-97”, sentenced to 15 days of jail by judge Ruslan Kazadayew
5. Aliaksandr Belanowski, fined 20 basic values (about $180) by judge Inesa Lazavikova
6. Pavel Belanowski, fined 40 basic values (about $360) by judge Lazavikova
7. Anatol Belski, sentenced to 3 days of jail by Judge Skuharava
8. Dzianis Bystryk, sentenced to 3 days of jail by judge Kraychyk
9. Pavel Dzemyaniuk, warned by judge Skuharava
10. Pavel Khivuk, sentenced to 3 days of jail by judge S. Barazna
11. Ihar Kliwko, sentenced to 3 days of jail by judge Kazadayew
12. Aleh Korban, sentenced to 10 days of jail by judge Skuharava
13. Aliaksandr Kozik, sentenced to 3 days of jail
14. Liubow Kuchynskaya, fined 20 basic values by judge Skuharava
15. Siarhey Liatko, fined 20 basic values by judge Aliaksandr Abdulin
16. Aliaksey Liawkovich, fined 50 basic values (about $450) by judge Siarhey Siaklitski
17. Pavel Mikulovich, fined 20 basic values by judge Kazadayew
18. Ales Monich, sentenced to 3 days of jail by judge Kazadayew
19. Ihar Nezawtsaw, sentenced to 5 days of jail by judge Skuharava
20. Fiodar Pawliuchenka, warned by judge Kazadayew
21. Sarahavetsk Siarhey, fined 30 basic values
22. Artur Siankevich, sentenced to 10 days of jail by judge Kazadayew
23. Zmitser Vaytko, fined 10 basic values (about $90) by judge Siaklitski
24. Maksim Vinarski, sentenced to 10 days of jail by judge Skuharava
25. Pavel Yukhnevich, sentenced to 10 days of jail by judge Abdulin

Human rights activists consider these punishments groundlessly violent. The head of the HRC “Viasna” Ales Bialiatski is of the opinion that the punishment to the action participant Anastasiya as really ferocious, the more that it was imposed by female judge, Alena Kraychyk.

-- The detention center in Akrestsin Street has no conditions for women. Arrest there brings additional sufferings to females. I don’t think the judge would give such a punishment if she had the chance to spend some time there, -- said Ales Bialiatski. – Finally, all judges who take part for today’s legal lynching will have to bear responsibility for it. The history doesn’t end on Lukashenka’s rule and someday yesterday’s events will have other juridical evaluation.