Levanewski Stays in Jail

Leninski court of Hrodna extended the term of imprisonment for Valery Levanewski till September 13, reports Charter’97.
Levanewski is charged with insult of dignity and honor of president Lukashenka. On May 18 the businessman was charged under Article 368 part 2 of the Criminal Code “Public insult of the President of Belarus”. This article stipulates a fine or corrective labor for up to two years, or restraint of liberty for up to three years, or deprivation of liberty for the same term. According to the investigators, the President was defamed in leaflets disseminated in Hrodna before the protest action of entrepreneurs on May 1. During the protest action Levanewski was arrested.
Levanewski was to be released after his 15-day sentence for distribution of leaflets advertising the protest rally. However, on 14 May the term of his arrest was extended to “clarify the circumstances”. He was taken from the arrest center to pre-trial detention center. Since that time this is the second time his term of custody is extended.