Raman Kisliak appeals to the Supreme Court against unlawful detention

27 September 2007 Maskouski district court of Brest found the human rights activist Raman Kisliak guilty under Article 23.34, part 1 of the Administrative Code (participation in unauthorized action) and fined him 62 000 rubles (29 US dollars).

Kisliak was tried for participation in the presentation of the book Letters from Forest by political prisoner Pavel Seviarynets. The presentation took place 19 August 2007, at the office of Brest BPF branch and was interrupted by the police, who detained 28 persons there. 

‘I am of the opinion that there is no corpus delicti in my actions. I attended an open sitting of the council of the city branch of the BPF Party. The presentation of the book Letters from Forest and meeting with Pavel Seviarynets was one of the points in the agenda of the sitting. That’s why I state that my detention and administrative punishment are unlawful.’

In his appeal to the Supreme Court Kisliak mentions that the police had drawn violation reports only on 15 out of 28 detainees. At the trial the policemen stated that they had drawn the reports on those who had come in their sight. ‘They knew me because of my human rights activities. I think that forced detention is their revenge for my previous appeals against their unlawful actions,’ Kisliak pointed.

Besides, in his complaint the human rights activist emphasizes that the court groundlessly qualified the assembly at the office of the BPF Party as a mass action for holding of which it was necessary to have the permission of the authorities. ‘Such explanation of the law and the practice of its use lead to liquidation of the freedom of peaceful assemblies in Belarus,’ states Raman Kisliak.

Bear in mind: it is already the fourth appeal, filed to the Supreme Court by the fined participants of the presentation.