ANTI-REFERENDUM ACTION PARTICIPANTS TRIED TODAY
November 25 Savetski borough court tried participants of the anti-referendum action, who had been detained the day before. The participants of the action, organized by the Young Front, wanted to express their protest against the possible referendum about the third term to President Lukashenka. The police detained 17 people, many of them under age. The detained were taken to Savetski borough police board. The police released the under age action participants in the evening without any charges.
Today 3 action participants were tried.
Zmitser Dashkevich was sentenced to 15 days in jail (Judge Ruslan Kazadayeu).
Vasil Parfiankou – to 15 days in jail (Judge Natalla Skuharova)
Ales Zapartyka – to 5 days in jail (it was his first detention) (Judge Natalla Skuharova)
Aksana Novikava, who in April 2003 received a conditional sentence for insult of the President, was released yesterday at about 9 p.m. She received summons to come to court at 10 a.m. November 25. However, Aksana Novikava decided not to come to the court. She explained her position, “I am not going to appear in court on my own will. The regime is illegitimate. That means, its demands are illegal and there’s no need to comply with them”.
The action was organized by Young Front. The organizers were not allowed to hold a march and a rally in Yakub Kolas Square. Minsk administration gave official permission to have the action in Bangalor Square, far from the center of the city. However, Young Front leadership announced the action would be held at 5.30 p.m. in the city center.
At 5.45 p.m. the action participants started to walk towards the Independence Square. At 5.50 they were surrounded by police, who started to detain the activists.
