Our solidarity scares regime

The detained on 16 January activists of youth organisations have trials in the court of the Central District today. They are getting 10-15 days of arrest for participation in the actions of solidarity.

Some activists were arrested just in the court of the Central District yesterday. They came to support activist Yulya Siutsova, who had trial for participation in the rally of entrepreneurs on 10 January. The activists were accused of “minor hooliganism” today. Franak Vyachorka, activist of the Youth of the Belarusian Popular Front (BPF) was arrested for 15 days. The sentence was given by judge Tatyana Pauluchuk. Anton Kalinouski, activist of the Youth of the BPF got 10 days of arrest, judge Tatyana Pauluchuk. Yuras Stankevich received 15 days of arrest, judge Tatyana Pauluchuk. Uladzimir Syargeyeu got 15 days of arrest, judge Tatyana Pauluchuk.

The activists caught yesterday at the actions of solidarity were accused of “participation in unauthorised event”. The Young Front activist Katsyaryna Galitskaya received 15 days of arrest, judge Alyksei Bychko. The Young Front activist Katsyaryna Krasnova arrested for 15 days, judge Alyksei Bychko. Activist of the civil campaign “Jeans for Freedom” Maksim Vyanyarski got 10 days of arrest, judge Tatyana Pauluchuk. The Young Front activist Lyudmila Atakulava got 15 days of arrest, judge Tatyana Paulyuchuk.

The Charter’97 press center asked famous human rights activist Valyantin Stefanovich to comment the tough sentences to the young people:

– All trials over activists are closed in fact. Human rights activists and journalists are not allowed to the trials. Moreover, judges don’t hear evidence for the defence! Evidence of riot militiamen are very inaccurate: they wrote in reports that the activists, detained in the court room yesterday, were using foul language, when getting out of a militia car to go to the internal affairs department. But it was said nothing about why they had got into that car! The accused are not allowed to get acquainted with the materials to the case.

I was a witness that a young man was arrested in the court, because he took pictures by a cell phone how a militiaman was pushing brutally a photo-correspondent away and hindering him to enter the court room. The guy was arrested for it.

It has become known for us that Yuras Stankevich was hit at his head in the internal affairs department. Militiamen demanded him to confess he had participated in the unauthorised action.

It’s obvious the people are being interned before the action on 21 January. We hold information that the arrested people who are kept in the special prison facility on Akrestin Street now, are examined as witnesses to the criminal case of holding a mass action on 10 January. The regime is evidently scared.