Supreme Court turns down appeal of Belarusian Christian Democracy activist

The Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus did not satisfy the appeal of a BCD activist Volha Pansevich against the fine of 2.5 million rubles, to which she had been sentenced on 12 June 2012 by the judge of the Slonim District Court Ivan Lastouski for alleged “insubordination to police” and “use of obscene language in public”.

Earlier a similar appeal was turned down by the Hrodna Region Court.

Bear in mind that according to the activist, at about 7.30 p.m. on 21 April in Khliupin Street in Slonim a police patrol came up to her and told her to go with them. The woman refused, after which the policemen twisted her arms, pulled her into a car, hitting her with their fists and feet, then put her hands in hand-cuffs. Volha Pansevich was taken to the Slonim District Police Department, put in a cell, where she was kept for three days, during which she was beaten and tortured. The woman stated she would appeal such actions. In response, on 30 May she was familiarized with two police reports in which she was charged with the aforementioned law violations.