Brest: civil activists are fined for protesting
On 3 December the judge of the Leninski district of Brest Andrei Vasiliuk delivered a decision to fine each of three participants of the picket in Lenin square of Brest 70 000 rubles (about $33).
The opposition activist Zhana Abramava organized a picket because she had been evicted from an apartment. Yuras Bakur and Ivan Stasiuk came to support her.
Brest human rights activist Yuras Zhydovich told to RFE/RL that many people came to court to supports the picketers.
‘Many civil activists, members of different opposition parties and journalists were present at the trial.
The judge said the participants of the picket violated the Law on Mass Events, in particular, article 12.34 (violation of the rules of picketing). The judge said they should have applied for holding of the picket. The court confined itself to minimal punishment. It might be explained by doubtful nature of the picket,’ the human rights activist says.
It should be reminded that a protest picket was organized in the central square of Brest yesterday. The participants of the picket protested against forceful eviction of Zhana Abramava from an apartment where she has lived for 20 years.
Human rights activists of Brest think the eviction is a result of persecution of Zhana Abramava for her oppositional political activity.
