The trial over Alyaksandr Kardzyukou, a witness to the murder of Henadz Shutau, continues in Brest voblast court. The prosecutor Henadz Bury has demanded for the prisoner 10 years in a reinforced regime colony. They also demanded to call the deceased guilty, but without sentencing.
At first Alyaksandr Kardzyukou was accused of resisting an employee of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (part 2 of article 363 of the Criminal Code). Under this article he could face up to five years of imprisonment. Later the charges were changed to attempted murder under part 2 of article 139.
On August 11th , during protests in Brest a special forces officer from Minsk region Raman Haurylau shot and killed a passer-by, Henadz Shutau. Alyaksandr Kardzyukou witnessed this episode. He was detained a few days later.
In court, Kardzyukou said that he had a piece of pipe for self-defense – just in case. He and Shutau sat on the parapet and watched around. Then they approached the military, asked what was going on, and Haurylau shoved Shutau. Kardzyukou “hit back”.
But the court recognized not Kardzyukou and the deceased Shutau as victims, but the law enforcement officers – captain Raman Haurylau and warrant officer Arseni Halitsyn.
The events in the Brest Regional Court were described by Alyaksandr Kardzyukou’s lawyer in the following manner: “I understand the dissonance in the minds of many people when they try to comprehend the events. The military shot Shutau, but they are trying his friend Kardzyukou for the attempted murder of the soldier who allegedly shot Shutau. But that’s just the way it is”.
On 11 August armed military were used against peaceful protesters. The prosecutor’s hands are trembling, but he is asking for a sentence of ten years in a reinforced regime colony for Alyaksandr Kardzyukou and to posthumously find Henadz Shutau guilty of resisting an internal affairs officer.
Haurylau and Halitsyn, accomplices in Shutau’s murder, fully support these prosecution demands.
Anastasiya Baranchuk, daughter of the murdered Shutau, said at the court hearing: “My father’s guilt is not proven, he did not commit the crime he is accused of, so I think he should be completely exonerated, and military officers Haurylau and Halitsyn should be in the dock. I think that Halitsyn is lying in court in order to avoid criminal responsibility for abuse of power and premeditated murder of my father Henadz”.
Human rights activist Raman Kislyak said in a commentary to Belsat: “During the trial I saw no evidence sufficient to accuse Kardzyukou and Shutau of committing these crimes. Moreover, the army was used against civilians, this is a flagrant violation that must be investigated. I and other residents of Brest are outraged by these circumstances. In fact, a military special operation was carried out against us, where soldiers in civilian clothes shot civilians. It violates all the laws of international law”.
The verdict will be announced on February 25. Kardzyukou and his lawyer have asked the court for acquittal.
