Victims in case of human rights activist Svetsik demand to stop trial

The Vitsebsk Region Court declared a recess. Judge Halina Urbanovich took a time-out after a motion of defendant Leanid Svetsik.

The human rights activist made a motion to close the criminal case and stop criminal prosecution as he says he is non guilty and doesn’t understand the charges presented, Viasna human rights center reports.

The motion was affirmed by three victims, who noted the investigators had better look for real authors of the letters but not waste time on groundless accusation of Leanid Svetsik.

Human rights activist Valyantsin Stefanovich, who attended to trial, said “Leanid Svetsik, like other people present at the trial, doesn’t understand the essence of the accusation and wants the criminal case to be closed. This case is unique, because it’s rare for the Belarusian judicial practice when victims demand to close a criminal case.”

It should be reminded that in 2006–2007, Leanid Svetsik was rendering legal aid to Vitsebsk activists, who received letters with threats on behalf of unregistered pro-Nazi organization Russian National Unity, was helping to prepare complaints to prosecutors.

A criminal case under article 130.1 of the Criminal Code over fact of threats from RNU was instigated only by the KGB department for the Vitsebsk region on May 20, 2008. Leanid Svetsik was mentioned as a witness in the case, but later he was said he was a suspect person. The criminal case against him was suspended in September 2008. On March 31, 2009, he was charged under two articles of the Criminal Code: stirring up national or religious hatred (article 130) and libel against the president of Belarus (article 367). The human rights activist was given a written pledge not to leave town. Leanid Svetsik doesn’t admit his guilt and think the criminal case is revenge for his human rights activity.

In early April, Front Line, the international foundation for protection of human rights defenders, sent a letter to Alyaksandr Lukashenka asking to stop criminal persecution of human rights activist Leanid Svetsik.