News on the topic: administrative prosecution
18.11.2009 Homel Regional Court recalls fine to local activist
Judge Vasil Biahun of Homel Regional Court has ruled to reverse a 700,000-rouble fine to Valery Rybchanka, local opposition Communist leader, his civil case being sent for reconsideration at Homel Chyhunachny Court. The activist was fined for mere intent to participate in a memorial picket on 19 October. Mr. Rybchanka claims he was not taking part in the demonstration at the moment he was arrested, since he was taking photos of it.
06.11.2009 Believer fined for defending his right to alternative army service
A believer from Jehovah's Witnesses community has been punished by a huge fine for demanding the realization of his right to alternative military service.
04.11.2009 Vitsebsk: huge fines for white-red-white flags on Ancestors’ Day
Judge of the Kastrychnitski district Edgar Martyrasian fined Vitsebsk activists Taras Surhan and Siarhei Kavalenka 700 000 rubles (about $255) each.
20.10.2009 More fines awarded to participants of 16 October memorial picket
On 19 October Judge Ilya Svirydau of Homel Chyhunachny Court fined Valery Rybchanka, head of the Belarusian Party of Communists’ Zhlobin district office, BYR 700,000. Mr.Rybchanka is a tenth activists convicted for participating in the 16 October Hanchar and Krasouski memorial action. The total amount of fines is now BYR 10,325,000. Mr.Rybchanka says he is not surprised by the verdict: ‘Our trials are a conveyor. Once the authorities place you on the conveyor, you WILL be punished.
16.10.2009 Activists stand trial in Homel
On 16 October, several trials took place in Homel, following the charges brought against a number of local activists for participating in the 16 September Hanchar and Krasouski memorial demonstration. Judge Vital Kozyrau of Homel Chyhunachny Court has convicted oppositional Communist activist Uladzimer Siakerka of taking part in an illegal rally and despite ample evidence in favour of the activist fined him BYR 700,000. Another opposition activist – BPF member Anatol Paplauny asked the judge to sentence him to imprisonment, since he ‘did not want to support the broke anti-national regime with his own money.’
15.10.2009 Uladzimir Katsora demands to punish police perjurers
On 14 October the head of Homel branch of the For Freedom movement Uladzimir Katsora addressed Homel oblast prosecutor’s office with the demand to instigate a criminal case against the police officers who had drawn up on him deceitful reports following his detention on 16 September. Later Katsora and some other democratic activists of Homel were fined by court on the basis of these documents.
14.10.2009 Fined for rally that didn't take place
On 13 October the Chyhunachny district court of Homel tried 7 pro-democratic activists. As BelaPAN informs, on 16 September 16 oppositionists planned to hold a rally of solidarity with the families of the abducted, but were detained by police on their way to the place where the event was held. As a result, the rally hadn’t taken place.
12.10.2009 ‘Young Front’ activist tried in absentia for ‘Communism = Fascism’ picket
Hanna Bunko was fined 175 000 rubles for a picket dedicated to the 70th anniversary of signing Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact.
09.10.2009 Entrepreneur fined equivalent of 56 000 US dollars for absence of hygienic certificate
On 9 October the Supreme Economic Court upheld the verdict of Vitsebsk oblast court by which Orsha entrepreneur Zhana Bokhan was fined 160 000 million Belarusian rubles.
08.10.2009 ‘Our countries are governed by the rule of the gun, not the rule of the law…’
On 6 October the head of the Human Rights Center Viasna Ales Bialiatski and the lawyer Uladzimir Labkovich attended the trial, held on the lawsuit of the president of the Chechen Republic Ahmat Kadyrau for protection of his honor and dignity from the Russian human rights organization Memorial. Bialiatski and Labkovich were present at the trial as observers of the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH).
07.10.2009 Barysau: independent journalist lost the trial
On 7 October in the morning Barysau district court pronounced the verdict on the honor and dignity protection lawsuit of V.Pratasevich, editor of the newspaper of Barysau executive committee Adzinstva against the Bukas Media Center enterprise and the journalist V.Nikitski.
02.10.2009 Fines in Vialeika
On 2 October the trial of Uladzimir Maliarchuk, Ales Narkevich and Aliaksei Siudak came to an end. They were charged with holding an unauthorized rally on 1 September near the village of Krasny Berazhok, where some memorial crosses were installed. These crosses were dismantled by the district authorities in several days and an administrative case was brought against participants of the commemorative action.
01.10.2009 Pastor of ‘New Life’ Church fined for hindrance to officers of Ministry of Emergency Situations
Maskouski district court of Minsk fined the pastor of the New Life Church Viachaslau Hancharenka 420 000 rubles (about $147) for hindering the officers of the Ministry of Emergency Situations who examined the temple.
24.09.2009 Mahiliou city authorities to evict local BPF office?
Mahiliou Regional Economic Court has finished considering the lawsuit brought against the Belarusian Popular Front’s local office by the city housing and utilities department. The officials demanded to evict the party and charge it with BYR 5 mln. of rent. However, the court suggested soliciting a truce, since the department failed to serve the party a notice of assessment before suing it.
22.09.2009 Maksim Viniarski fined BYR 1 mln.
Judge Aksana Reliava of Minsk Savetski Court has found European Belarus activist Maskim Viniarski guilty of violating Article 23.34 of the Civil Code (violating the regulations of holding mass actions) and fined him BYR 1,050,000.
