Opposition leader Viachaslau Siuchyk fined in absentia

The Svietlahorsk District Court has fined Viachaslau Siuchyk, leader of the Razam opposition group, 420,000 rubles on charges of disobeying a lawful order by a police officer.

Viachaslau Siuchyk says he decided not to go to Svietlahorsk, since he was only notified of the trial 10 hours ahead of it.

As it eventually turned out, the charges were heard without the defendant and any witnesses.

The activist was convicted of resisting arrest at the Svietlahorsk railway station in February, as he was leaving for Minsk after a meeting with local entrepreneurs.