Mahiliou: Siarhei Niahatsin’s appeal turned down
On 8 May Siarhei
Koneu, Judge of the Mahiliou Regional Court, turned down the appeal of civil
activist against the verdict of the Leninski District Court of Mahiliou,
according to which he had been sentenced to a fine for distributing the
unregistered newspaper “Tut i Tsiaper” without a special distribution
agreement.
Mr. Niahatsin had been detained at the market in the town of Bykhau while handing out the newspaper in
April 2012. He was guarded to the police station by a riot policeman. 80 copies
of the newspaper were confiscated from him. In a week the policeman phoned to
the activist and proposed to return him the newspapers. However, when the
activist came to the police station, a violation report was drawn up and he was
taken to court. As a result, the activist was sentenced to a fine of about 3
million rubles.
However, as far as the newspaper is unregistered, and its circulation is 299
copies (the maximal circulation legally allowed for unregistered editions), the
activist didn’t need any “distribution agreements”, as far as the editorial board
of the edition is not a juridical body.
