Administrative Commission of Frunzenski Borough Executive Committee of Minsk chooses only an oral warning to Aksana Novikava

17.02.2005.

On 11 January she was detained by the police, as she was raising funds for “an orange revolution” in Belarus. Aksana was accused of begging.

All 11 members of the commission gathered together to review the administrative protocol against Aksana Novikava. This was a second sitting. Only four officials turned up for the first sitting. Aksana Novikava argued that due to the lack of quorum, the commission decision will not be legal. The sitting was transferred.

Two witnesses, a man and a woman, invited to the second sitting said that Aksana had been walking around with a mug with an orange strip, and collecting money for a revolution. This was what the policemen called begging.

Yury Kapchynski, Head of the Commission, requested Aksana Novikava and the journalists leave the room and wait for the decision there.

After several minutes of consultations, the chair read out a decision: the case should be dropped due to the insignificance of the violation, and an oral warning regarding the inadmissibility of such behavior should be made.

Aksana Novikava told the commission members that despite the warning she will continue to collect funds, Radio Liberty says.

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