Minsk: Ex-political prisoner fined for action of solidarity with arrested blogger
Pavel Sevyarynets, a co-chair of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party, was 1,050 Belarusian rubles fined ($540) for participating in solidarity actions during the trial of blogger Eduard Palchys.
Frunzenski district court of Minsk delivered the judgment as far back as November 9, but it was not until today when Sevyarynets has received its copy.
The oppositionist was fined for taking part in picketing on 14 and 17 November. He believes that the decision was delivered on the basis of only two protocols although seven were drawn up upon him.
“I am still waiting, there are five protocols more,” he added.
The 25-year-old Eduard Palchys was accused of inciting hatred on grounds of race, nationality, religion, language, or other social affiliation (Par. 1, Art. 130 of the Criminal Code). Human rights activists, bloggers examined the blogger’s publications and did not find any extremism in them. The founder of the 1863x.com website was backed up by family, friends, activists and public figures. When he was being tried, protesters gathered near the Minsk City Court to chant slogans for his support.
