Student Action Participants Fined 60 USD

29.09.2004.

On September 28 Maskowski court of Minsk ruled to fine Siarzhuk Semianiuk and Yury Sidun for participation in the Homeless Students March. On September 16 the police detained 3 members of Belarusian Students Association: Siarzhuk Semianiuk, member of the BSA Council, Yury Sidun, and Ales Vasilewski. They were reported for violation of Art 166 of the Code of Administrative Offences: resistance to police during detention. The trials started on September 17, but all three demanded a lawyer, and the hearings were postponed to September 28.
The students were detained near the building of Physics Department of Belarusian State University. The police stopped about 30 students who marched with bed-sheets, saucepans, electric boilers, and other things symbolizing a student dormitory. In the front of the group 3 students carried a folding bed. About 15 policemen attacked the students with the folding bed. They did not explain the reasons for detention. The action was to draw the public attention to the problems of students, in particular, the lack of dormitories. Belarusian Students Association will continue to fight for students rights despite any obstacles.