Arrests for Freedom Day celebration continue

Vitsebsk oppositionist Barys Khamaida is sentenced to 5 days of administrative arrest. The decision was taken on 1 April by Raman Dzyahoda, judge of Chyhunachny district court of Vitsebsk.

B. Khamaida was sentenced according to the part 3 of the article 23.34 of the Administrative Code for participation in an unauthorised action in Vitsebsk on 25 March.

An interpreter was invited to the trial, because the detained on 25 March oppositionist said he didn’t understand well the questions in Russian. But even in the presence of an interpreter, B. Khamaida refused to answer questions. He said he didn’t trust judge R. Dzyahoda. An appeal of dismissal of the judge wasn’t satisfied, and the process was continued without the defendant.

Officers of Chyhunachny district internal affairs department were witnesses at the trial. They explained B. Khamaida was detained near the house No28, Lenin Street, because he was holding an unauthorised event there on 25 March.

“I was going to spread independent newspapers on that day,” B. Khamaida told to BelaPAN. “I went out with a white-red-white scarf in honour of the 90th anniversary of the Belarusian National Republic. Public activist Alena Zalesskaya wearing a similar scarf and member of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada) Antanina Pivanos were near me. Antanina had a towel, with Lord’s Prayer embroidered on it. Militia considered our presence in the town to be an unauthorised action, though we had no posters or banners, and didn’t call on people to anything.”

Judge R. Dzyahoda found that the detention was lawful and sentenced N. Khamaida to 5 days of arrest in the special detention center.

The same judge sentenced two activists, detained with B. Khamaida, to fines: A. Zalesskaya was fined of 700.000 rubles, and A. Pivanos – 70.000 rubles.