Person accused of participation in 2010 post-election protests attempts suicide in court
Uladzimir Kondrus, the last defendant in Ploshcha-2010 case, attempted to cut his wrists in court. The journalists were withdrawn from the courtroom.
The hearing started today at 10:30 in Maskouski district of Minsk. The man was arrested on June 14 on charges of ‘participation in mass disorders’ on December 19, 2010 in Independence Square (‘Ploshcha’). In prison, Kondrus went on a hunger strike and was within an inch of death.
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In 2011, 49 people were sentenced in the case, including former presidential candidate Mikalai Statkevich who was the last political prisoner pardoned by president Alyaksandr Lukashenka and released on August 22, 2015. For nearly six years, the security services were not interested in Kondrus.
The process started with a delay. As Kondrus considers the trial illegal and unfair, he lay down on the floor right in the cage in protest, our correspondent reports.
11:30 Judge Svyatlana Bandarenka ordered to call an ambulance so that they could give an appraisal of his health. About half an hour later, the hearing resumed.
An ambulance car near the court
12:05 Lying on the floor, Kondrus made an attempt to cut his wrists, which brought the sittings to a halt. The policemen rushed to him. Journalists, including Belsat TV reporters, were expelled from the courtroom.
13:05 Kondrus’ defense lawyer, who was next to his client during the incident, said he did not see any blood, but Kondrus’ hand was bandaged. There was no threat fo his life, emergency doctors said.
The judge decided to remove Kondrus from the hearing for the violation of order in the courtroom. A recess has been announced to subject him to a forensic mental examination and get its results.
All major Belarusian human rights organizations issued a special statement demanding immediate release of the Square 2010 participant. They called the case against him a politically motivated one and called Kondrus political prisoner.
