Brest: Human Rights Activist Tries to Sue Police

16.10.2007. Tags: administrative trials, human rights defenders.
Source: RFE/RL.

Today Maskouski court of Brest dismissed the case of lawyer Raman Kisliak against Maskouski district police department of Brest.

Raman Kisliak accused the policemen of violation of his civic rights. On August 19^th, the police violently stopped the presentation of the book “Letters from Woods” by Paval Seviarynets. In the beginning the police qualified the presentations as a “criminal gathering”, later the reports of an “unauthorized gathering” were drawn up.

In his suit Kisliak pointed out that his right to peaceful assemblies (Article 5a of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights) had been violated. He was detained without any police report for almost eight hours – although the law gives only three hours for wording the accusation. In three hours a citizen is either to be released, or detained on a charge until the trial.

Judge Iryna Klyshpach held two sessions. On October 11^th, during the pre-trial hearing, the judge considered the case and made a decision to dismiss Kisliak’s case. Mr. Kisliak says: “Certainly, I believe, unlawful decision has been made. Today I will see the minutes, and will right an appeal”.

Let us remind the readers, on October 13^th, police officers of the same maskouski department arrested Kisliak on the eve of the European march – on the alleged accusation of foul language.

Yesterday the human rights defender was taken to court, where judge Ruslana Sianko decided to release him until the trial. She sent the case to judge Klyshpach who today dismissed Kisliak’s suit against the police.