Brest Regional Court: BPF Party Created in 1993 Cooperated with Nazis in WWII

23.09.2004.

Today, September 23, Brest regional court gave recognition to the fact that BPF Party (created in 1993) had actually cooperated with the nazi Germany during the World War II. Today Brest court heard the cassation protest of Malaryta district prosecutor against the decision of Malaryta court on BPF business reputation suit.
Let us remind the readers that on 30 July 2004 Malaryta court (Judge Barychewski) recognized the information about BPF’s cooperation with the nazi Germany invalid. The information was spread by deputy chair of Malaryta administration’s Ideology Department Siarhei Strok during the meeting of Struha village residents on 25 April 2004.
Malaryta district prosecutor protested against the court decision. Today the protest was considered by Brest regional court’s Board for Civic Affairs. Malaryta prosecutor’s protest was supported by a Brest prosecutor’s office representative.
In the beginning of the hearing BPF representative Valantsin Stefanovich submitted three applications. Among them was the request to watch the video with S. Strok’s speech. The court rejected the application “because of the absence of technical capabilities”.
In his speech Valantsin Stefanovich stressed that BPF Party considers the decision of Malaryta court absolutely legitimate and grounded. He claimed the cassation protest should be rejected and gave legally grounded arguments on every point of the protest.
The representative of Brest prosecutor’s office supported the protest in her speech. Her arguments were not really clear even for lawyers. However, her main point was easy to grasp: It’s not Strok’s fault, he wanted to specify his words but was not given a chance.
After the break the court read out the decision: to satisfy the protest of Malaryta district prosecutor’s office, to reverse the court decision and to reject all BPF claims.

Valantsin Stefanovich comments: “This is a completely politically-motivated decision. However, certain information we receive from Malaryta gives us grounds to fear for the fate and job of Judge Barychewski who made a fair verdict in July.
Today’s court verdict gives logical grounds to conclude that BPF Party really did cooperate with the nazi Germany during the WWII.
Obviously, we will appeal against the decision to the chair of Brest regional court, and, if he doesn’t satisfy our appeal, to the Supreme Court.
This is insulting. Again it highlights the dependence of the judicial system in Belarus”.