Eduard Palchys aka ‘Jhon Silver’, a creator of 1863x.com political blog, is due to go on trial on charges of ‘inciting racial, national or religious hatred’ and ‘distributing pornographic material’.
His case will be heard behind closed doors, which attracted a storm of criticism. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) accused the Belarusian authorities of bringing baseless charges against the blogger and calls for his immediate and unconditional release.
The blogger may face up to five years of imprisonment for ‘inciting hatred’ and up to two or for years in jail – for allegedly distributing pornography. Nine articles were recognised extremist. The charges are pointless and artificial, Belarusian human rights defenders say. According to them, Eduard Palchys is another political prisoner of Lukashenka’s regime.
10:05 Activists holding white-red-white flags are protesting near the courthouse.
10:20 Police officers are drawing up protocols on protesters.
10:30 Protesters chanting: ‘No to alliances with imperial Russia!’, ‘Long Live Belarus!’
10:45 “I hope that Eduard is hearing the words of support and knows that people have come to make a stand for him,” his wife Viktoryia says.
10:50 “It is feared that there will be a one-day trial. Lukashenka’s regime hopes for receiving an IMF loan, that is why they do not want publicity,” opposition activist and former political prisoner Pavel Sevyarynets said.
11:15 Hardly had Activist and entrepreneur Ales Makayeu come when a policeman started to draw up a protocol on him.
14:00 As Palchys’ defense lawyer Hanna Bakhtsina has signed a non-disclosure agreement, she cannot inform media about the progress of the case.
People from all over the world are voicing support to their son, Alyaksandr and Antanina Palchys told Belsat TV.
16:15 Palchys’ wife was summoned to appear as a witness at 10:00. However, she was called only at 16:00. Viktoryia is also forbidden to disclose any details of the trial. According to the woman, her husband looks good, he smiled at her in the courtroom.
The courtroom has no windows, and Palchys cannot hear picketers’ chanting in his support.
17:00 The hearing has ended. It will be resumed on October 17, at 10:00
