Judge expelled Tatsyana Tsishkevich from court for a smile (Photo)
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14:17, — Politics
In the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk the third day of a trial over 10 activists of youth organisations continues. The activists are tried for participation in a demonstration on January 10. Before announcing a break judge Alena Illyuna expelled one of the defendants, Tatsyana Tsishkevich, for numerous warnings.
“I was put out of court for smiling, for whispering to our defendants. Video materials were seen until now. It was very amusing, and everybody was smiling as well. Yesterday the judge warned me and Pashkevich that it would be a “further violation”. But today I also smiled and whispered to my neighbour Dubski, so she decided to put me out. Though lawyer Halieu stood up and expressed protest, saying I was interfering with anybody. But it was just entered in the record, and that was all,” Tsishkevich told to Radio Svaboda.
A defendant Alyaksei Bondar stated during the break: “We refuse to identify ourselves in the video demonstrated in the court”.
He believes that video footage is doubtful evidence. “These were some clips, film was edited… Footage does not show that A. Kim, who is accused of hitting a policeman, is guilty. There is no evidence of our guilt in our case as well. But it is seen that traffic policemen constituted danger to lives of citizens, by directing buses to drive through the crowd,” Bondar has underlined.
A defendant Ales Charnyshou is also convinced: “Testimony of witnesses-policemen differed from what we saw in video footage. There were no elements of crime in our actions we saw in video materials”.
Before the break lawyers expressed their indignation with the fact that video recording was screened in a form of clips, which parts taken out, missing some events, and some episodes were even mixed up in time.
After the break screening of the video recording is to be continued.
From 3 to 5 thousands protesters took part in the rally of entrepreneurs against the presidential decree No. 760 held in Minsk on January 10. Several dozens were detained and beaten up.
Criminal charges have been filed against 14 of them for participation in a mass disorder. Their names are: Alyaksandr Barazenka, Alyaksei Bondar, Paval Vinahradau, Maxim Dashuk, Artsyom Dubski, Andrei Kim, Anton Kopijsh, Mikhas Kryvau, Mikhas Pashkevich, Ales Straltsou, Mikhas Subach, Uladzimer Syarheeu, Ales Charnyshou, Tatsyana Tsishkevich.
Alyaksandr Barazenka, Paval Vinahradau, Mikhas Subach and underage Maxim Dashuk are to stand trial later. They haven’t managed to read the files of the criminal case, that is why the trial over them is postponed.
