Smarhon: trial of participants of action in memory of Rastsislau Lapitski
On 2 September civil activists of Smarhon marked an
anniversary of the birth of the head of thena national underground resistance
movement in Smarhon and Vialeika Rastsislau Lapitski, whom the Soviet
authorities had executed by shooting in 1950.
Within the framework of the festive events a local artist Valiantsin
Varanishcha, Uladzimir Shulzhytski and members of the artistic association
“Pahonia” Henadz Drazdou, Ales Tsyrkunou and Ales Pushkin paid a visit to an
Orthodox church and hallowed four portraits of Lapitski painted by Pushkin.
During the exhibition of the paintings at the city park the artists were
approached by two policemen. The exhibition lasted for about 30 minutes, after
which the artists took the paintings and carried them to Valiantsin Varanishcha's
house, handing out booklets about Lapitski on their way.
They were detained. The police drew three violation reports. The trial started
on 3 September.
12.40 a.m. The case of Henadz Drazdou was tried first. He solicited for
advocatory services, that's why the trial was postponed to 11 September.
As stated by Mr. Drazdou to RFE/RL all detained action participants declared a
hunger-strike of protest.
Reference:
Rastsislau Lapitski was born on 1 September 1928 in the village of Kasuta in the Vialeika district. He was
executed on 28 October 1950 for creating an underground youth organization
which distributed leaflets against Stalin and the Bolshevik rule.
