No thaw in regions: Belarus activists tried and fined for participating in historical feast
A judge at Leninsky district court in Hrodna fined Viktar Sazonau, Uladzimir Khilmanovich and Syarhei Verameyenka for their taking part in the recent feast in memory of participants in the 1863 uprising. The event has been repeatedly held in the town of Svislach over the past years.
The anti-Russia uprising flared on 22 January 1863 in the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth (present-day Poland, Lithuania, Belarus, Latvia, parts of Ukraine, and western Russia) and lasted until the last insurgents were captured in 1864.
The activists were charged with disturbance of public events. Representatives of the Svislach police were called as witnesses. As a result, Judge Dzmitry Bubenchyk found them guilty and imposed BYN 840 ($430) fine on Uladzimir Khilmanovich; Viktar Sazonau and Syarhei Verameyenka will have to pay BYN735 (appr. $375) BYN 315 (appr. $160) correspondingly.
In the courtroom, the defendants applied for conducting the trial in the Belarusian language, but the judge rejected the motion. Earlier, Mr Bubenchyk was involved in a political case only once – he tried activist Volha Krapotsina who was accused of administrative violation. In fact, the woman distributes leaflets about Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
Hrodna authorities must have ordered to fine a certain number of activists, Viktar Sazonau believes. “Fines have been imposed on the people from Masty, some activists from Slonim, Svislach, Vaukavysk, Hrodna have already been fined or summoned,” he said.
Viktar Sazonau, Uladzimir Khilmanovich and Syarhei Verameyenka are set to appeal the verdict in the regional court.
