Entrepreneurs Sentenced to 7-15 Days of Jail

Several minutes before the trial a leader of entrepreneurs stated to Radio Racyja: ‘If the court sentences entrepreneurs to administrative arrest, the negotiations with the authorities which were appointed on 19 December, will not take place’.

Harbachou and some other entrepreneurs’ leaders were detained after the meeting of entrepreneurs on 10 December. About 1 000 meeting participants came to the Chamber of Representatives. A deputy Anatol Paulovich came out and promised that on 19 December the authorities will negotiate with them. After the end of the action the police detained several public activists and leaders of the entrepreneur’s movement.

On 11 December the courts of Tsentralny and Maskouski district courts tried the Viktar Harbachou, Viktar Kalei, Viktar Kryval and Krystsina Shatsikava. 

Human Rights Center Viasna leaderned that the leader of the initiative For Free Development of Business Viktar Harbachou was charged under article 23.34 of the Administrative Code (violation of the order of organization or holding mass actions) and sentenced to 15 days of jail. The judge of Tsentralny district court of Minsk Samaseika found another entrepreneur, Aliaksandr Tsatsura, guilty of ‘petty hooliganism’ (article 17.1 of the Administrative Code) and sentenced him to 10 days of jail. 

Tsentralny district court of Minsk sentenced an entrepreneur Aliaksei Kashkarou to 15 days of jail under article 17.1 and 23.34. The same sentence was given to Viktar Kryval. Viktar Kalei was sentenced to 10 days of jail by judge Yasimovich. Maskouski district court of Minsk sentenced Aliaksandr Makayeu to 7 days of jail. 

A public activist Krystsina Shatsikava, mother of two under-aged children, received a fine.