On Monday Minsk city court resumed the trial of blogger Eduard Palchys.
His case is being 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 police drew up ten protocols on picketers who expressed solidarity with the defendant.
Pavel Sevyarynets, Volha Nikalaychyk, Ales Makayeu, Zmitser Dashkevich and other opposition activists came to the building to voice support for Eduard Palchys. A group of men in black, presumably plainclothed policemen, were keeping an eye on the protesters and filming them.
When Natallya Harachka-Basalyha attempted to take a phot of riot policemen, they knocked a mobile phone from her hand.
On October 18, the hearing of the case will continue. As the arrestee’s wife Viktoryia Palchys and defense lawyer Hanna Bakhtsina signed non-disclosure agreements, they are forbidden to make any comments on the trial.
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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.
