News on the topic: trials
22.07.2011 Bruzhi protesters’ trial to continue on August 1
Hrodna regional custom house and the local police would like to fine them for 10 million roubles.
18.05.2011 Analytical review of the trial of Pavel Seviarynets, Siarhei Martseleu and Iryna Khalip
Conclusions: - The trial failed to provide any evidence of an offence under Par. 1 Art. 342 of the Criminal Code, i.e. direct involvement in gross violation of the public order during the protest, as well as any criminal intent to stage the alleged actions by the defendants. Nor did the trial provide any evidence of the damage allegedly inflicted by the defendants to any institutions or enterprises. In reality, none of the institutions or enterprises mentioned in the case file initiated legal proceedings to recover the reported damage in court. - No evidence of the defendants’ involvement in any unlawful actions committed on 19 December 2010 in Nezalezhnastsi Square was provided. - Defendants Seviarynets, Martseleu and Khalip, while in custody in the KGB pre-trial prison, were not provided with the sufficient amount of meetings with their lawyers during the preliminary investigation into the case. We consider the fact to be an outrage against their right to legal protection, guaranteed by Art. 62 of the Belarusian Constitution, together with a number of provisions of the Code of Criminal Procedures. Seviarynets’s and Khalip’s lawyers were dismissed during the preliminary investigation stage, having faced harassment by the Ministry of Justice, and were eventually disbarred. - The public media (the Sovetskaya Belorussia newspaper, state-run TV channels) repeatedly named the defendants organizers of the riot outside the House of Government long before the start of the trial, violating the defendants’ presumption of innocence. - The publication of the preliminary investigation materials before its termination, and the announcement of the defendants’ guilt in the Sovetskaya Belorussia were made by order of the President, which is an evidence of the political nature of the criminal case and emphasizes the accusatory essence of both the preliminary investigation and the trial.
25.03.2011 Verdict to Parfiankou upheld
On 25 March, Minsk City Court considered the cassational appeal by Vasil Parfiankou, convicted of involvement in the 19 December 2010 mass riot, and upheld the 4-year sentence by an inferior court.
24.03.2011 Concise analytical review of the trial of Zmitser Dashkevich and Eduard Lobau: Concluding Part
On 23 March, Minsk Maskouski District Court continued hearing the malicious hooliganism case of Zmitser Dashkevich and Eduard Lobau. The court session was opened by the examination of witness Mrs. Sviatlana Harbachova, employee of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
24.03.2011 Dashkevich sentenced to 2 years, Lobau -- 4 years in high-security prison
At about 12 a.m. today, Judge Alena Shylko of Minsk Maskouski District Court found the Young Front leaders Zmitser Dashkevich and Eduard Lobau guilty of committing a malicious hooliganism. Zmitser Dashkevich has been sentenced to two years of imprisonment, Eduard Lobau -- four years in a high-security prison.
18.03.2011 Verdict to Parfinakou to be appealed on 25 March
The appeal against the verdict to Vasil Parfinakou is going to be considered by Minsk City Court on 25 March.
16.03.2011 Zmitser Dashkevich and Edward Lobau to stand trials on March 22
The trials of the leaders of the Young Front have been postponed for one day by Minsk Moscow District Court (they had to take place on March 21).
24.02.2011 Woman whose arm was broken by policemen to stand trial for disobedience
Svetlahorsk District Court may pronounce a sentence to entrepreneur Lilya Lahutsina on February 24.
23.02.2011 Trial of Artyom Breus and Ivan Gaponov. Day 1. Analysis
On 22 February 2011 Minsk Maskouski Court began the consideration of the criminal case under Par. 2 Art. 293 of the Criminal Code of Belarus (“mass riot”) against two Russian nationals Ivan Gaponov and Artyom Breus. The court session was chaired by Judge Mrs. Liubou Siamakhina with the participation of state attorney, deputy chair of Minsk Maskouski Prosecutor’s Office Siarhei Kunas.
21.02.2011 International Observation Mission calls for open trials
On 21 February the International Observation Mission released a statement, urging the Belarusian authorities, in particular the Supreme Court, together with separate courts, to secure free access of the Mission’s observers to courtrooms during the trials of the detainees in the 19 December mass riot criminal case.
18.02.2011 Russians’ trial for Square to be open
"Representatives of the Embassy will be present at the hearing without fail”, - said Vadim Gusev, counselor of the Russian Embassy to Belarus.
18.02.2011 Trial of Vasil Parfiankou: Analysis
On 17 February 2011, Minsk Frunzenski Court chaired by Judge Ms. Volha Komar with participation of prosecuting official Anton Zaharouski considered the case of Vasil Pafiankou, accused of committing a crime under Par. 2 Art. 293 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus – “mass riot”. It was a first trial of the participants of the 19 December peaceful post-election protest rally.
17.02.2011 First trial in mass riot case: Parfiankou sentenced to 4 years of maximum security
Today Minsk Frunzenski Court sentenced Vasil Parfiankou to FOUR years of imprisonment in a high-security prison for alleged participation in the 19 December mass riot in MInsk.
20.01.2011 "Young Front" activist Uladzimir Yaromenak to serve 7 days of detention
The "Young Front" activist Uladzimir Yaromenak has been found in the detention center at Akrestsina Street after the KGB men took him from his house on Wednesday for an interrogation as a witness with regard to the December 19 mass disturbances criminal case. The press-center of the "Young Front" informs about this.
20.01.2011 Two youth activists fined
Today Minsk Tsentralny Court fines two youth activists Kiryl Kudrou and Mikita Valodzin BYR 1,050,000 each for participating in yesterday’s solidarity picket outside the KGB central office in Minsk.
