Volha Kavalkova, a co-chairperson of Belarusian Christian Democracy Party organisational committee, stood trial in Pershamayski district court of Minsk.
Judge Yury Harbatouski slapped a fine of 382.5 rubles on the activist for her participation in the Chernobyl Path rally.
“Nearly $200 per person for exercising the constitutional right to peaceful assembly,” Kavalkova said on Facebook.
In the wake of the Chernobyl Path, twelve persons have been held adminisratively liable for taking part in an unauthorized mass event (Article 23.34 of the Administrative Code).
According to human rights defenders’ information, the amount of fines imposed on those spotted at the memorial event, exceeded 3,800 Belarusian rubles. Moreover, some activists may still be summoned to court soon.
As reported earlier, the organizing committee withdrew their application to hold the time-honoured Chernobyl Path march in late April due to the city authorities’ demand to pay 5,737 Belarusian rubles (appr. $2,800) for the police services at the event. In addition, the organizers were expected to disburse 215 rubles to municipal workers and 240 – to paramedics. However, in spite of the lack of the Minsk authorities’ permission, the activists gathered together near the Academy of Sciences on April 26 at 18:00 and marched along the streets to the Chernobyl victims memorial chapel.
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