Human rights defenders Uladzimir Labkovich and Tatsiana Reviaka punished with fines

The members of the Human Rights Center "Viasna" Uladzimir Labkovich and Tatsiana Reviaka were familiarized with the new violation reports at the Savetski District Police Department of Minsk. 40 minutes after it they were taken to the Savetski District Court of Minsk.

11.35 a.m. Tatsiana Reviaka and Uladzimir Labkovich are in the Savetski District Court. They are charged with violating the order of organizing and holding mass events (Article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Violations). It is not known so far, who will consider their cases.

12.30. According to human rights activist Anastasiya Loika, the case of Uladzimir Labkovich will be considered by Judge Dzmitry Pauliuchenka, and the case of Tatsiana Reviaka – by Judge Maryna Fiodarava.

1.10 p.m. Judge Dzmitry Pauliuchenka went away for the lunch break.

1.20 p.m. The consideration of the administrative case against Uladzimir Labkovich started. The human rights defender didn't deny handing out postcards with the portrait of Ales Bialiatski, but disagreed to the qualification of this deed as participation in an unauthorized mass event.

2.10 Judge Paulyuchenka fined Mr. Labkovich 3 million rubles, finding him guilty of a violation of part 1 of Article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Violations. He characterized Labkovich's actions as picketing by means of handing out postcards, which is an expression of the civil position.

2.12 The trial of Tatsiana Reviaka started.

2.40 Tatsiana Reviaka was fined 3 million rubles.

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Late in the evening of 5 August police officers called Uladzimir Labkovich and invited him to the Savetski District Police Department at 11 a.m. on 6 August. A similar invitation was also received by Tatsiana Reviaka.

Bear in mind that on 5 August police detained human rights activists Uladzimir Labkovich and Tatsiana Reviaka and took them to the Savetski District Police Department. The detainees were given charges under Art. 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Violations (violation of the order of organizing and holding mass events). Their mobile phones were taken away.

However, the violation reports contained some defects, as a result of which the judge sent them back for revision.

In his interview with the European Radio for Belarus Uladzimir Labkovich mentioned the mistake the police made in the reports:

"They did not specify what provision of the Law “On Mass Events” we have broken. Article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Violations refers to another law, that's why the Administrative Procedure Code requires the indication of what specific legal norm has been violated."