Hrodna Activists Complain to Court against Punishment for Trespassing Border Zone

Anatol Khatsko, head of the headquarters of the candidate of the united democratic forces in Hrodna region, and the members of this headquarters Siarhiei Malchyk, chair of Hrodna branch of Belarusian People’s Front and Viktar Sazonau, chair of Hrodna branch of the liquidated HRC Viasna, complained to Ashmiany Town Court against the decision of the head of Ashmiany Town Board of Internal Affairs to punished them for trespassing the border zone. The plaintiffs believe the police acted lawlessly and consider the fines (250 000 rubles to each one) for trespassing the border zone groundless. They state they were detained not on the territory of the border zone and forcibly driven to Ashmiany, where the police composed their reports without taking any explanations from the detainees.

Hrodna activists think their detention and punishment was politically motivated. That’s the way the authorities tried to creation of the district electoral headquarters in Smarhon, Astrautsy and Ashmiany. In the private house that belongs to the activist Piatro Iavidovich the police with the head of the local passport and visa service at the head checked the documents of the present persons.