Homel Region Court upholds fining Uladzimir Siakerka for insubordination to border guards

On 7 December the Homel Region Court considered an appeal against the verdict of the Chyhunachny District Court of Homel, according to which the head of the regional organization of the Belarusian Leftist Party “Fair World” Uladzimir Siakerka was fined 2 million rubles under Article 23.4 of the Code of Administrative Offenses, “insubordination to legal demands of public agents”.

The case against Mr. Siakerka was brought after he refused to leave the train Chernihiv-Homel on demand of the border guards on 14 October. As a result, the train departure was delayed. Uladzimir Siakerka pleads innocent as according to Article 17 of the Law “On Border Guard Service” officers of the border guard must explain the reasons for restriction of rights of the citizens.

“I asked to explain me the reasons, but nobody did it. In their report it was written as follows: “There was discovered a citizen whose surname was in the list on errand of the law machinery”. At the trial, I asked to explain what were these lists, who put me there and how I could leave them. Nobody answered. Before the trial, I filed a complaint to the administration of the border guard brigade, asking the same questions, and again received no answers,” says Mr. Siakerka.

The regional court dismissed the solicitations of the oppositionist, who asked to attach to his case a video recording of the incident on the border and question some witnesses. The judge Aliaksei Shamekhin explained it by saying that these solicitations were to have been filed during the first trial. “How could I make such solicitations at the district court, if I didn't even know what for I was summonsed there and studied the case materials only during the trial,” wonders Uladzimir Askerka.

The politician intends to appeal the verdict of the regional court at the Supreme Court and proceed to the UN Human Rights Committee if necessary.

By the way, a “Fair World” member Ilona Tkachova faced problems on the border too. On 6 December her family was detained on the border without any explanations for seven hours. Their car was searched, a laptop and a photo camera were confiscated.