The cases of Yauhen Afnagel, a coordinator of the European Belarus civil campaign, and Vyachaslau Siuchyk, the leader of the Together movement, are being considered in Tsentralny district court in Minsk on Thursday.
Former emigre politician Vyachaslau Siuchyk has been sentenced to 15 days in prison for ‘violating the order of holding mass events’ (Art. 23.34 of the Administrative Code). He has gone on hunger strike in protest. According to him, the conditions of confinement in the temporary detention facility are inhuman. The toilets are not working in the cells, there’s hardly a breath in the air.
On May Day Vyachaslau Siuchyk participated a protest rally in Barysau where he made a speech. On Wednesday evening plainclothes policemen pulled him out of a minibus taxi, put into a van without license plates and drove off.
Activist Nina Bahinskaya came to the building of Tsentralny district court to support the arrestees. She was carrying a poster; an unknown man tore it when trying to take it away.
Yauhen Afnahel was also detained on May, 3. (UPD) He was also sentenced to 15 days in prison.
In spite of intimidation and preventive arrests, protest rallies took place in Minsk and regions on May, 1. The police attempted to bar activists and journalists from participating.
