BCD Vitsebsk activists fined on hooliganism charges
Judge Valiantsina
Kismiaroshkina of Vitsebsk Pershamaiski District Court sentenced today local
activists of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Party Aliaksei Kishchuk and
Stanislau Laurenau to a fine of 300,000 rubles each. The
activists were convicted on the basis of testimony by four police officers, who
testified that the guys used obscene language against them.
Aliaksei
Kishchuk and Stanislau Laurenau were detained
yesterday, after their car was stopped by traffic police. Stanislau Laurenau
was
fined 650,000 rubles for driving with expired papers. However, the activists were then
taken to the local Department of Internal Affairs and charegs with "hooliganism"
– they reportedly insulted the traffic police officers and the special unit
policemen who arrested them.
The activists were not
told why the trial had been put off overnight.
According
to the coordinator of the organizing committee for the creation of the BCD Tatsiana
Seviarynets, the reason for the delay is obvious:
"Yesterday
was December 19, the anniversary of the Square events. The guys were tracked
since the morning; Aliaksei and Stanislau said they were followed by police cars.
Maybe they were wire-tapped, too or somehow else..."
