Trial against Sannikov. Most witnesses for prosecution does not appear in court

A political trial over presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov continued on April 28.

The riot police officers, who allegedly were injured during dispersal of a peaceful protest demonstration against the fraudulent presidential elections, were questioned today in the Partyzanski district court. Only 8 out of 29 riot policemen appeared in court to give evidence.

Many of the “injured” riot policemen are on vacation outside Minsk, two are on sick leave, one has been moved to another duty station, so they cannot attend the trial, the riot police brigade informs.

Written evidence of the riot police officers copied one another: they were on duty on December 19, arrived on Independence Square, unknown people from a crowd of demonstrators hit them, mainly in knee, then they applied or did not apply for medical care. Surnames of the persons in the dock were not mentioned in the documents. At total of 21 written evidences were read out.

Among 8 police officers, Syarhei Lushchyk, a deputy commander of the special purpose squadron, produced the strongest impression. He said he had got a hematoma on his buttock. But he neither knows nor saw the defendants.

The trial against Andrei Sannikov will be continued on April 29. The unfair trial over the Belarus’ presidential candidate Andrei Sannikov started on Aril 27 in the court of Partyzanski district of Minsk.

According to independent observers and human rights activists, Sannikov was the candidate who was undeniably winning by a wide margin at the ballot stations where electoral fraud had been prevented.

According to independent observers, for this reason the charges against him have not been mitigated, and the leader of the civil campaign “European Belarus” is charged under the harsh Article 293 of the Criminal Code: organizing the so-called mass riots. He faces up to 15 years of imprisonment.

The oppositional leader is kept in the KGB remand prison since December 19, 2010. His state of health is alarming. Just before the arrest he was brutally beaten up and injured by riot policemen.

Together with Sannikov’s case, cases against young activists Illya Vasilevich, Aleh Hnedchyk, Fiodar Mirzayanau, Uladzimir Yaromenak, were examined by the court of Partyzanski district of Minsk. During the trial they were placed into the cage in the courtroom together with the presidential candidate.

During the trial Andrei Sannikov stressed that the rally on December 19, 2010 was totally peaceful. Belarusians were protesting against rigging the presidential election results. Under the real results of the election, a second round was to be held.

Sannikov stated that a provocation with breaking window glasses in the House of Government had been orchestrated on Independence Square. He urged to stop violence, while policemen were not interdicting the provocation, but recording it on video.

The presidential candidate pleads not guilty. He said the case is political motivated and urged the judges to act in accordance with the law and international standards.