On 19 May Pershamaiski Borough Court of Minsk will continue to hear the criminal case against Andrei Klimau. The procurator's office accuses him of defaming Aliaxandr Lukashenka

19.05.2005.

This is the information provided by Radio Liberty. The first session took place on 6 April, and on 22 April Andrei was detained in Minsk downtown and since then he has been kept in custody in an investigative center. According to another criminal action brought against the opposition politician, he is accused of organizing a street demonstrations, during which mass disorders allegedly took place.
The case was initiate in January for the publications that were being distributed on the territory of Belarus. During the investigation and hearings in court, Andrei Klimau refused to use the services of a defense lawyer, referring to the fact that the outcome of political cases is well known before the verdict is announced. The court hearings are behind the closed doors. Andrei Klimau argued: his works were written in the genre of political pamphlet. A representative of the procurator's office asked for time she needs to prepare for another sitting that was to have been held on 23 April. But on that day Andrei was arrested on new charges. Everyone thought that these charges would be united with the first one, and the court will hear the case in one place, but no decision has been taken so far. Most probably, the verdict will be announced today, because Tsentralny Court already has a case for organization of a demonstration on 25 April. The investigators prolonged the term of custody for Andrei Klimau until 22 June. At the end of May the date of the court hearing and the judge name will become known. Most probably, Andrei will be tried after hearings of the case against Paval Sieviaryniets and Mikola Statkievich are over. This is going to be a third criminal case in the life of Andrei Klimau. He spent four years four years behind the bars (from 1998 till 2002) for alleged abuses and thefts. International human rights organizations recognized him to be a prisoner of conscience.

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