Trial of ‘Young Front’ Activist Ivan Shyla Appointed on 4 September

At 10 a.m. on 4 September Salihorsk town court will consider a criminal case against the activist of an unregistered organization Young Front Ivan Shyla. 16-year-old Shyla is charged with activity on behalf of unregistered organization (article 193.1 of the Criminal Code).

This trial has been appointed on exactly the same time as a trial of another Young Front activist, Nasta Azarka, who is also charged under article 193.1. However, Azarka will be tried in Niasvizh. Such choice of time can hardly be a coincidence. Most probably, by this step the authorities hope to split the people who want to support the activists into several groups and thus decrease their activity. 

The time of the trial of another Young Front activist, resident of Baranavichy Yaraslau Hryshchenia, is not known yet. The time may also ‘coincide’ with the two abovementioned trials. Hryshchenia also has the same charges. 

In the case the court finds them guilty, the youth activists can be fined or imprisoned. All of them had given a written undertaking not to leave their towns before trial.