Vital Rymasheuski, a co-chairman of the Belarusian Christian Democracy (BCD), was BYN 1,150 fined (appr. $400) for participating in a rally of Kurapaty defenders.
The decision was passed by judge Alyaksandr Yakunchykhin.
Rymasheuski’s presence in Kurapaty on February, 24 ‘violated the order of holding mass events’, the resolution says.
The politician says that on that day he did visit the defenders’ camp, but he was not there for long. According to him, he just had a word to some people and made a comment on the situation to journalists.
It is the second fine imposed on Rymasheuski over the last days. Oхзn April 4, he was BYN 1,035 fined for taking part in the March of outraged Belarusians. In early March, another BCD politician, Pavel Sevyarynets, was found guilty of participating in the rally near Kurapaty.
Kurapaty, a place on the outskirts of Minsk, is not just the national memorial and a mass grave of the victims of Stalinist repression, it is a site of historical and cultural heritage.
Why Belarusians defend Kurapaty (Turn English subtitles on)
In late February, the Belarusian activists began a long-term action in defense of the memorial protesting against the construction of an office building started a few dozen meters from Kurapaty. According to them, it is fraudulent as the building permission was granted when the area was considered a protected zone.
The plot on which ‘Belrekonstruktsiya’ company undertook the construction of a four-storey business center was sold by the city authorities at the auction in 2013. In 2014 the protected zone was significantly cut. According to historian Ihar Kuznyatsou, it is highly likely that remains of the victims will be found here. KGB archives which could cast light on the burial plans are classified until now.
Belarusian Voluntary Society for Protection of Monuments appealed to the KGB and city authorities with a statement about possible corruption schemes and violations during the construction project design which is interfering with the protected zone.
Later, Andrey Shorats, chairman of Minsk city executive committee, met with a group of four people to discuss the conflict. The official promised that construction works near Kurapaty would be suspended for a week. According to politician Pavel Sevyarynets, it was a ‘battling draw’. Despite the decision, the activists refuse to displace the camp of Kurapaty defenders: they demand the construction of the business center be terminated.
After several-day protesting in Kurapaty, the developer decided to take away its building fleet. The company ordered to minimize any works and take the machines away. However, Minsk City Committee has not given up the idea to stop the construction of a business center, that is why the confrontation is not over yet.
Belsat.eu
