Hrodna regional court did not grant the complaint by the UCP activists against the court ruling

30.06.2005.

We would like to remind you that on 7 May the public movement "We Remember" staged an action in commemoration of the disappeared former minister of internal affairs Yury Zakharanka in Hrodna. The action continued for an hour. Its participants stood in the street and held photos of Yury Zakharanka in hands. Then the six people out of seven were detained and taken to the police station for taking part in an unauthorized picket. On 16 May Kastrychnitski Borough Court of Hrodna imposed fines on the participants of the chain of concerned people action by terms of part 1 article 167-1 CAV of Belarus: five were fined 25 basic units, and Raman Iurhiel received a fine of 160 basic units (approximately 4 million rubles) for repeated violation by terms of article 167-2.
The action participants do not agree with the punishment imposed because according to article 2 of the Law of the Republic of Belarus as of 30 December 1997 "On Assemblies, Meetings, Street Processions, Demonstrations and Picketing" picketing is public declaration by citizens or a group of citizens of civil and political, group, personal and other interests or protest (without procession), including hunger-strike, about some problems with the use or without the use of posters, transparencies and other means. Because the portrait only means that someone has disappeared and is not public declaration of civil and political interests, which is not violation of the law of the Republic of Belarus. Actions similar to this one repeatedly occurred in many towns of the country, in the event of detentions and administrative punishments the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus cancelled the local court rulings because of the absence of the administrative offence.
Participants of the chain of concerned people went to Hrodna regional court complaining about the illegal ruling adopted by Kastrychnitski Borough Court, but received denial. "The punishment imposed on you agrees with the nature of the offence committed".
The UCP activists will appeal against the rulings by the Hrodna courts in the Supreme Court of Belarus.

Add commentary

Comments