Trial over Dashkevich Postponed to Tomorrow

30.10.2006.

The trial over youth activist Zmitser Dashkevich began today, on October 30, at 11 a.m. In the afternoon it was postponed to October 31, 10 a.m. Tomorrow the court will examine witnesses.
The trial is closed for public. However, representatives of OSCE and some representatives of foreign embassies managed to meet with Judge Ala Bulash. She failed to explain why the trial was closed. She just said that Dashkevich’s lawyer will give them all information after the trial.
Several hundred people gathered near the court building. Young people held Zmitser’s portraints and chanted a slogan “Freedom to Dashkevich!”. The activists organized a protest action against the trial. Young people in Young Front T-shirts, with their hands behind their heads, walked in circle in front of the court building. The police showed no reaction and just observed the protest. According to Alexander Haliyeu, Dashkevich’s lawyer, for some time Zmitser could see the action in his support through the window.
Reporters (including TV cameras of Russian channels) and representatives of foreign embassies joined Zmitser’s friends near the court building.
Human rights activists from “Viasna” consider the trial a political Star Chamber. They state that persecution of Zmitser Dashkevich is a bright example of human rights violations.

We have informed earlier, on September 21, 2006 Zmitser Dashkevich, leader of Young Front organization, was indicted for acting on behalf of unregistered organization (Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code).