Dashkevich to Be Tried Behind Closed Doors

The Human Rights Center Viasna has found out, the trial over youth activist Zmitser Dashkevich will take place on October 30 at 11 a.m. The trial will be closed for the public. The case will be heard by Ala Bulash, deputy head of Kastrychnitski court of Minsk. The judge does not explain the reasons for closing the trial for the public.
Human rights defenders are exasperated. Lawyer Valiantsin Stefanovic says: “Firstly, Dashkevich is indicted for violation of Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code (acting on behalf of an unregistered organization). That violates his constitutional right to freedom of association. Secondly, they close the trial not let the journalists and public observe it – just as they used to do it during the times of Stalin. We believe the case is important for the whole society and should be open for public. We suspect the authorities do that in order to hide the details of the police working methods, that they put pressure on the activists and interrogated dozens of young people. Again we demand immediate release of Dashkevich and believe that the prosecution is politically-motivated”.
Zmitser Dashkevich, leader of Young Front, is indicted for violation of Article 193.1 of the Criminal Code (acting on behalf of an unregistered organization). He is kept in custody before the trial.