Homel and Hrodna: Preventively Detained Declare Hunger-strike

12.10.2007. Tags: political persecution, Union of Poles, hunger-strike, United Civil Party, arrest, European March.

Several days ago in Homel the police detained the leader of Homel city office of the United Civil Party Vasil Paliakou and his deputy Uladzimir Katsora. Both of them were found guilty of ‘dirty swearing’ and sentenced to 7 days of jail. Now they are kept in the temporary isolator of Homel. Katsora and Paliakou have declared a hunger-strike.

Even Paliakou’s relatives weren’t admitted to the trial of him. ‘Vasil was judged during the dinner break’, said his wife to BelaPAN, he was taken to the court through the back door. We were told that he was not at court. I know that at the trial he was deprived of the right to participate in the pleadings and say the last word. The accusation witnesses were policemen from Chyhunachny district police department of Homel.’

Since the first day of imprisonment Katsora and Paliakou have kept a hunger-strike. The isolator guards showed to Katsora’s daughter his written refusal from food.

On 10 October in Hrodna the police detained the editor of the magazine of the independent Union of Poles in Belarus Magazyn Polski na uchodzstwie Ihar Bantsar. The following day Leninski district court of Hrodna punished him with 10 days of jail. The trial was closed. Neither journalists, nor public representatives were admitted. According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, after the reading of the verdict he declared hunger-strike as well.