News on the topic: criminal prosecution
16.05.2011 Verdicts to Iryna Khalip, Pavel Seviarynets, Siarhei Martseleu
Judge Mrs. Zhana Brysina of Minsk Zavodski District Court found Iryna Khalip, Pavel Seviarynets and Siarhei Martseleu of committing an offence under Par. 1 Art. 342 of the Criminal Code (“organizing and preparation of actions that grossly violate the public order, or active participation in them”).
16.05.2011 Analytical review of the court proceedings on the criminal case of Daronin, Fedarkevich, Kazakou, Loban, Matsukevich and Sakret
The trial of the criminal case against Daronin, Fedarkevich, Kazakou, Matsukevich and Sakret took place on 5-11 March at the Maskouski District Court of Minsk. The case was tried by Judge Alena Shylko with participation of the state accuser Melnikau, Deputy Prosecutor of the Maskouski District of Minsk. The defendants were charged under Article 293, part 2 of the Criminal Code (direct participation in mass riot). On 12 May the court found them guilty under Article 293, part 2.
16.05.2011 More verdicts to participants of 19 December protest rally. Presidential candidate Andrei Sannikau sentenced to 5 years in medium security colony
The Belarusian presidential candidate was sentenced for his protest against the falsified elections. The judgement was delivered by judge Natallia Chatsviartkova. Prosecutor Anton Zaharouski demanded to give Andrei Sannikau 7 years in a medium security penal colony.
12.05.2011 Criminal case against Salihorsk anarchists
One of the main episodes of the criminal case against Salihorsk anarchists is the assault on a police station in Salihorsk on 9 March 2010. The offenders broke the windows and threw in a pyrotechnic device. Anarchists openly took responsibility for the action and even uploaded a video to the Internet. The reasons for the action were unlawful actions of the local police and driving a local human rights defender Yana Paliakova to suicide (she hanged herself after being sentenced to imprisonment for political reasons).
10.05.2011 Andrei Pachobut is left behind bars
Journalist Andrei Pachobut, charged under two articles of the Criminal Code – Article 368, part 1 of the Criminal Code, “defamation of President of the Republic of Belarus”, and Article 367, part 1, “libel against President of the Republic of Belarus”, was visited by his counsel, Aliaksandr Birylau.
10.05.2011 Asipovichy: what for do KGB and police need confiscated guitar?
Officers of law-enforcement agencies still haven't returned the confiscated guitar, private diaries, drafts of songs and laptop to Ihar Simbirou, an activist of the electoral team of presidential candidate Uladzimir Niakliayeu.
10.05.2011 Weekly review of post-election situation in Belarus (2-8 May)
Trials of 22 accused in the 19 December “mass riot” case continued in four district courts of Minsk. Dzmitry Drozd, Uladzimir Khamichenka, Ales Kirkevich, Andrei Pratasenia and Pavel Vinahradau were found guilty under Article 293 of the Criminal Code by Ala Bulash, Judge of the Kastrychnitski District Court of Minsk. The verdict was very harsh: Kirkevich and Vinahradau were sentenced to 4 years in a high-security prison and all the rest – to 3 years. Five more human rights defenders, representatives of the International Observation Mission, were deported from Belarus. The right to freedom of associations and expression is still violated, persecution of civil and political activists is going on as well.
06.05.2011 Valiantsin Stefanovich: “We declare the convicts political prisoners”
The lawyer stated it in his interview to RFE/RL, commenting on the verdicts to Dzmitry Drozd, Uladzimir Khamichenka, Ales Kirkevich, Andrei Pratasenia and Pavel Vinahradau. Mr. Stefanovuch watched the whole trial of these participants of the protest action of 19 December 2010.
05.05.2011 Incident at the trial of Vital Rymasheuski
The trial of the co-Chair of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy Vital Rymasheuski at the Frunzenski was marked with a rather unpleasant incident. Police major Maksim Hryshchanka clang to Tatsiana Seviarynets, the mother of another political prisoner, Pavel Seviarynets, and tried to tear down a white-red-white ribbon from her neck.
05.05.2011 Criminal persecution of participants of 19 December protest action: the trial of Daronin, Fedarkevich, Kazlou, Loban, Matsukevich and Sakret has started
The trial of Dzmitry Daronin, Aleh Fedarkevich, Siarhei Kazlou, Uladzimir Loban, Vital Matsukevich and Yauhen Sakret started at the Maskouski District Court of Minsk on 5 May. The defendants are accused of participation in mass disorders. Alena Shylko is the judge.
05.05.2011 Criminal persecution of participants of 19 December protest action: trial of Dzmitryieu, Fiaduta, Niakliayeu, Palazhanka, Rymasheuski and Vazniak has started
The trial of the criminal cases against Andrei Dzmitryieu, Aliaksandr Fiaduta, Uladzimir Niakliayeu, Anastasia Palazhanka, Vital Rymasheuski and Siarhei Vazniak has started today at the Frunzenski District Court of Minsk. All of them are charged with the organization and preparation of actions that grossly violate the public order, or active participation them (Article 342 of the Criminal Code, part 1), which envisages up to 3 years of imprisonment.
05.05.2011 Trials for 19 December protest action: sentences to Drozd, Khamichenka, Kirkevich, Pratasenia and Vinahradau announced
The trials of Dzmitry Drozd, Uladzimir Khamichenka, Ales Kirkevich, Aliaksei Pratasenia and Pavel Vinahradau are coming to an end. On 4 May prosecutor Barouski demanded 4 years of imprisonment for Kirkevich and Vinahradau, 3.5 years – for Drozd and 3 years for Khamichenka and Pratasenia.
29.04.2011 Anarchists’ case reaches court
The criminal cases of Belarusian anarchists Ihar Alinevich, Mikalai Dziadok, Aliaksandr Frantskevich and Maksim Vetkin will be heard by Judge Mrs. Zhanna Khvainitskaya of Minsk Zavodski District Court between 18 and 23 May.
28.04.2011 Prisoner’s Godparenthood: Marek Migalski adopts Dzmitry Bandarenka
Marek Migalski, a substitute to the European Parliament’s Delegation for relations with Belarus takes over a prisoner’s godparenthood for Dzmitry Bandarenka.
27.04.2011 Zmitser Bandarenka sentenced to 2 years of imprisonment in 19 December trial
On 27 April, Judge Tatsiana Ravinskaya of Minsk Pershamaiski District Court sentenced Zmitser Bandarenka, coordinator of the European Belarus civil campaign, to 2 years of imprisonment in a general security penal colony.
