OMCT condemns arrest of human rights defender Aleh Volchak
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On 8 January guards of the Minsk KGB office detained an activist of the “European Belarus”, Mikita Kavalenka, and journalist Aliaksandr Barazenka. The action lasted for about a minute: Kavalenka unfurled white-red-white flags and portraits of political prisoners, while Barazenka shot it on video.
On 5 January Yan Melnikau was detained y the police in Minsk after posting several stickers “No Fear!”. The Leninski District Court sentenced him to 15 days of arrest under Articles 17.1 and 21.14 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, “disorderly conduct” and “violation of the urban maintenance rules”.
On 6 January the Brest Region Court turned down the appeal of two activists of the steering committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party, Zmitser Shurkhai and Ales Charkashyn, unlawfully arrested for five days on charges in using obscene language in public.
Judge of the Maskouski District Court Aliaksandr Kostrykau found former political prisoner, activist of the civil campaign “Tell The Truth!” Pavel Vinahradau guilty of committing an administrative offence under Article 17.1 of the Administrative Code of Belarus, BelaPAN news agency reports.
Siarhei Kavalenka, a member of the Conservative-Christian Party “Belarusian Popular Front”, has been on a hunger-strike of protest for the 16th day already. This is how he protests against the ungrounded, in his opinion, accusation of avoidance from serving punishment. According to Alena Kavalenka, they once again rejected drinking water for her husband. She thinks that this is a torture with regard to a person who is on a hunger strike and has many chronic diseases.
On 31 December 2011 the activist of the “European Belarus” Taras Surhan was summonsed to the Chyhunachny District Police Department of Vitsebsk, allegedly for a “prophylactic talk”. However, he had hardly managed to leave the police station when he was detained by riot police and returned there.