Andrei Molchan, severely beaten during detention, gets a fine

On 4 July an activist of the “European Belarus” Andrei Molchan was tried at the Pershamaiski District Court of Minsk for having unfurled a national white-red-white flag on 19 May in order to express solidarity with Siarhei Kavalenka.

The activist was severely beaten during the detention – the police broke his jaw and inflicted other injuries. As usual, they got no punishment for it, whereas Molchan was charged under Article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Offences, “violation of the order of organizing and holding mass events”. The case was considered by Judge Siarhei Liushtyk.

3.40 p.m. At the beginning of the trial the judge declined the solicitation for viewing the video materials which had been shot near the building of the Pershamaiski District Police Department of Minsk.

3.50 p.m. Andrei Molchan bore testimony. According to him, on 19 March he unfurled a white-red-white flag to express solidarity with political prisoner Siarhei Kavalenka. When the police saw it, they started tearing the flag away from him. Then they put his hands in handcuffs and started beating him. He fell unconscious several times during the beating.

4 p.m. The first witness, police officer Aliaksandr Kutsko, born in 1991, bore testimony.

4.10 p.m. Testimony was given by another witness, Aliaksadnr Ihnatovich. He gave blurred answers. The both witnesses are soldiers. They were present as witnesses during the confiscation of Molchan’s belongings, whereas the law prohibits the same people to be witnesses of an incident and witnesses of a search or confiscation of items at the same time.

4.30 p.m.
Testimony was born by Andrei’s sister, Hanna Molchan.

5.00 p.m. Andrei Molchan was found guilty and sentenced to a fine of 800,000 rubles (about $96).