Baranavichy: supervisory appeal on the case of the Milavidy festival directed to Office of Prosecutor General

April 10, an organizer of the Milavidy festival Viktar Syrytsa filed a supervisory appeal to the Prosecutor General against the verdicts of the Baranavichy City and District Court, Brest Regional Court and Supreme Court concerning the case of the Milavidy festival.

The appeal notes that the he was convicted of an offense under Part 2 of Art. 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus and punished by a fine of 20 basic units. Brest Regional Court and Supreme Court upheld the verdict, that's why Mr. Syrytsa had to address the Prosecutor General in person.

“I said that all judges and prosecutors don't take into account and don't mention in their verdicts not only my own arguments, but also statements of 16 witnesses of the event. They persistently refer to the testimony of Major Kuliashou, who didn't see the events which took place in the village of Rusino near Milavidy on June 2, 2013. I added that courts and prosecutors also completely ignore the Act of June 2, signed by 9 citizens, as well as a written explanation of Uladzimir Hundar, Ryhor Makarevich, Viachaslau Bolbat, Halina Yarashevich, Siarhei Housha and Anzhalika Kambalava. All of them were the participants of the trip to the official event in Milavidy on June 2 and wanted to give testimonies at court,” commented Mr. Syrytsa.

The fact that there was no rally in Milavidy is also witnessed by the written errand of the prosecutor to the Baranavichy District Police Department, which was also ignored by the courts. The prosecutor ordered the police department to investigate the fact of the cultural festival on June 2 not in Milavidy, but in the village of Rusiny, Baranavichy district. However, instead of an objective investigation, the DPD thrice drew up reports against Viktar Syrytsa for “unauthorized rally” in Milavidy. It's worth noting that the court returned the first two reports for revising.

Viktar Syrytsa asks Prosecutor general to check the legality and validity of the verdicts of the Baranavichy City and District Court and the Supreme Court on his administrative case and issue a supervisory protest for their repeal.