Brest: trial of Vital Koush postponed to 27 December

The civil activist who is charged of "assistance to illegal emigration", asked to be given some time to study his case. The judge of the Brest District Court Mikalai Senka granted the petition and appointed the trial on 27 December.

Bear in mind that 28-year-old participant of a number of political campaigns had been forcedly detained by unknown people in mufti on 1 September before the eyes of his son and wife. During the next few days nothing was known about his fate. As it was found later, he was kept at the pre-trial prison #7 on charges in assisting citizens of India in illegal crossing of the border between Belarus and Poland.

The case received publicity when the state-owned Belarusian TV started mentioning it, calling Koush a criminal. This autumn, a video with explanations of the deported Indians appeared on the web. The Indians stated that they were forced to give false testimonies against Koush with the use of torture. As one of them stated, "a border guard raised my hand to point at the house" (where the family of Vital Koush lives).