Zmitser Khvedaruk Fined 937 Thousand Rubles

04.05.2007.

According to RFE/RL

On 3 May Minsk Savetski borough court fined the activist of the unregistered organization Young Front Zmitser Khvedaruk 937 rubles (about 470 US dollars) for alleged organization of an unauthorized procession after the end of Chernobyl Way rally.

Before the trial the policeman Pavel Kazlouski phoned Zmitser and invited him to Savetski police department. There they watched a videotape which was shot after the end of the rally, when people were going home.

The action participants moved from the chapel in Karastayanava Street to Maksim Bahdanovich Street, where trolleybus stops were situated. Near McDonalds the police started to push the people out to the yards. They ringed a group of youth which consisted mainly of girls and started beating them. 16 persons were detained and thrown into police busses.

In Savetski borough court Zmitser Khvedaruk said: ‘The people who gathered for Chernobyl Way wanted to go away peacefully. As the location was ringed by riot police, we decided to walk in a column from Karastayanava Street to a stop of public transport not to be detained.

Now I am charged with organization of an unauthorized procession. After beating the detainees near McDonalds the authorities want to show that there was an unauthorized procession and they didn’t violate the law.’