Trial of disabled activist in Svetlahorsk adjourned over flawed police report

On November 27, the Svetlahorsk City Court was expected to hear the administrative charges brought against Yury Liashenka, an activist for the right of persons with disabilities. He was charged under Article 23.34 of the Administrative Code – violation of the order of holding mass events. However, the trial did not take place after a police lieutenant colonel told the activist that the case file needed to be corrected.

The activist is going abroad for treatment, therefore he has written statement to the court asking not to hear the charges in his absence.

Yury Liashenka was detained by an ambulance as he was trying to stage a protest outside the district executive committee building on November 25. A wheelchair user himself, the activist was going campaign for the rights of people with disabilities, including against discrimination of their rights during the renovation of a residential building in Lenin Street. However, the executive committee banned the event. Nevertheless, Yury Liashenka appeared in the central square of Svetlahorsk. A few minutes later, an ambulance appeared and the man was dragged into the car. “Two paramedics tried to convince me that I felt unwell and I needed urgent assistance, but I could not understand what was going on. I felt well, and I did not call an ambulance! At the hospital, they measured my blood pressure, did an ECG, said that I had tachycardia and gave me an injection. Then a policeman appeared and questioned me,” said the activist.

After the policeman charged the disabled activist under Article 23.34 of the Administrative Code, a nurse told Yury Liashenka that he could go home because he had received the “necessary assistance”.