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.