Participants of Commemoration of Kalinowski’s Brothers Get Fined

04.11.2004.

On 4 November Svislach Town Court exacted from the head of a regional organization of Belarusian Social Democratic Hramada Viktar Sazonaw and the head of a regional organization of Belarusian People’s Front Siarhey Malchyk 70 basic units fine. Both of them were detained during the commemoration of the national heroes of Belarus Viktar and Kanstantsin Kalinowskis (Viktar Kalinowski is buried at the cemetery of Svislach and in the center of the town there’s a monument to Kanstantsin Kalinowski).

The court found V. Sazonaw and S. Malchyk guilty in violation of two articles of the Administrative Code – usage of unregistered symbols and violation of the organization and the order of holding of mass actions and processions.

-- Siarhey and I defended ourselves as good as we could, -- says Viktar Sazonaw. – Besides, the “Viasna” lawyer Valiantsin Stefanovich was admitted to the trial to defend us, but we received a fine anyway. On the other hand, it could be much worse, because these articles provide up to 15 days of jail and also large sums of fines.