Oppositionists hurled into prison for 10 days for giving a tour of Homel

A member of the United Civil party Alyaksandr Pratsko and an activist of the steering committee for creation of the Belarusian Christian democracy Svyataslau Shapavalau have been sentenced to 7 and 10 days of arrest respectively for participation in the excursion dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the Belarusian People’s Republic held on March 23.

About 20 persons with red and white balloons visited places related to activities of the BNR minister Paluta Badunova. Reports were drawn up against 8 participants of the excursion by policemen of Navabelitsa police department for violation of Article 23.24 Part 1 of the Administrative Code (violation of the order of holding mass events).

At the trial Alyaksandr Pratsko stated that he didn’t admit guilt: “It was a week end, and we walked around the city with my wife together with excursion group. It was stated in the report that I attracted attention of citizens. Was I walking naked, or was something written on my forehead? Policemen said that they warned the event was unsanctioned. I wasn’t warned by anyone: all policemen were in plainclothes, and they hadn’t presented themselves. They were not opening their mouths, they were only videoing us. We are we told that if we wanted to hold a tour we should have been taking public transport? Do Homel citizens have a right to go on foot?”

S. Shapavalau hasn’t admitted guilt as well.

Video recording of the event by policemen was demonstrated in the court as a testimony. Judge Aleh Kharoshka found the excursion an illegal march with a following picket.

A member of the Belarusian Socvial Democratic party (Hramada) Dzmitry Kutasau has been found guilty in this case, too, and fined 15 basic units (525,000 Br). Five more participants of the excursion are waiting for the trial. They are Uladzimir Nyapomnyashchy, Ivan Adamenka, Tatsyana Bublikava, Syarhei Tryfanau and Maryja Tulzhankova.

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