One Member of Milinkevich’s Team Fined, Another Still Awaiting Trial

05.04.2006.

On April 4 Homel courts heard cases of Uladzimir Shumilin and Leanid Pliska, campaign activists of Alexander Milinkevich. Both Shumilin and Pliska are tried on the same ground – for spreading campaign materials of Alexander Milinkevich. The police drew up reports on both of them in February. Uladzimir Katsora, head of Homel regional branch of the United Civic Party, who was present at the trial, promises to appeal against the decision: “Mr. Shumilin handed out
Narodnaya Volya newspaper. The newspaper contained the platform of Alexander Milinkevich. The judge decided that it should have also published platforms of the other candidates. If there are no platforms of other candidates in the newspaper it is a violation of the law. Shumilin was fined about 30 USD for that. This is how it is written in the court decision. It’s not the money that matters here, it’s the absence of common sense. Such a decision is ridiculous. That’s why we want to see how higher instances are going to react to that”.

Leanid Pliska’s case was returned to police. The judge decided the report drawn up by the police was not accurate. Uladzimir Katsura hopes the case will never be sent to court again, reports RFE/RL.