Court dismisses prosecutor's protest against acquittal of Ivan Mikhailau

On 15 June the Minsk Region Court considered the cassation appeal of the state accuser, L.Daubniuk, against the acquittal of Ivan Mikhailau by the Minsk District Court, and left the verdict of the lower court standing, thus taking the side of the defendant.

Bear in mind that Ivan Mikhailau, a believer of a Jewish-Messianic community, had been detained on 15 December 2009 on charges in draft-dodging and was subsequently punished with three months of arrest. He had served almost the whole term of arrest before his case was returned for a review. Mr. Mikhailau was declared a prisoner of conscience by Amnesty International. On 10 March he was released from jail under a written undertaking not to leave.

On 4 May, Viachaslau Tuleika, Judge of the Minsk District Court, acquitted Ivan Mikhailau of draft-dodging. The state accusation didn’t agree with this verdict and lodged a protest with the Minsk Region Court.