Brest oblast court reversed verdict for eviction of Zhana Abramava’s family from apartment

On 5 February in Brest the College Board on civil cases of Brest oblast court, presided by Alena Khatsko considered the complaint of the activist of the For Freedom movement Zhana Abramava concerning the eviction of her family from the apartment. The court reversed the verdict of Maskouski district court of Brest for 25 November and returned the case for a second trial.

Brest oblast court confessed that there was no sufficient evidence that would let evicting Zhana Abramava and her family from the apartment.

Bear in mind that Maskouski district court ruled to evict Zhana and her family from the apartment, because it did not recognize her grandmother (who used to live in the apartment) as a close relative. As soon as the grandmother died, the authorities decided to evict the family, despite the fact that it has lived there since 1989 and regularly paid the communal fees.

The trial was attended by the leader of the For Freedom movement Alexander Milinkevich. He informed Radio Racyja about his impressions from the court sitting:

‘Today the court has issued a fair and lawful verdict. I hope that during the second trial the district court will confirm it. There are no reasons for eviction of the family consisting of three women and a small child. Moreover, the main document in this case, the lawsuit of the housing economy of Maskouski district of Brest, does not exist. It is a clear forgery, and I am sure that it must be a reason for another trial – how a state institution could refer to non-existent documents,’ commented Alexander Milinkevich.