Yan Melnikau to spend all Easter holidays in jail
Yan Melnikau
"For
Freedom" activist Yan Melnikau was detained by police in the
evening of 2 May. He was holding a streamer "Anarchism is not a
crime. Ihar Trukhanovich is not a criminal" in Gorky Park in
Minsk.
He spent the night at Pershamaiski Distict Police
Department. On 3 May he was charged with the participation in an
unauthorized mass event and insubordination to lawful demands of the
police (Article 23.34, part 3 and Article 23.4 of the Code of
Administrative Offenses).
Judge of Tsentralny District Court
of Minsk Viktoryia Shabunya punished him with ten days of arrest. Mr.
Melnikau was tried without a counsel.
It has been the third
recent detention for the civic activist. On 25 March Melnikau was
detained for congratulating Minskers on the Freedom Day by raising a
white-red-white flag. Judge of the Savetski District Court of Minsk
Aksana Relyava charged him with violating Article 23.34, part 3 of
the Code of Administrative Offenses (organization of an unauthorized
event) and sentenced him to a fine of 2.2 million rubles).
On
26 April Mr. Melnikau was detained during the authorized mass event
"Chernobyl Way" and taken to Savetski District Police
Department, but soon released.
