Ales Pushkin gets 12 days in custody

The artist was tried behind closed doors.

The trial was conducted by Maryna Zapasnikava, a judge from Minsk's Leninski district court.

There is no precise information for what Ales Pushkin was punished. Judge's secretary refused to say the reason for the arrest. The court registry for administrative cases said he had been tried under article 23.34 of the Code of Administrative Offences, Radio Svaboda reports.

The staff of the detention centre in Akrestin Street confirms that Ales Pushkin has been serving his 12-day term since yesterday.

Pushkin said on the phone at 1 p.m. December 5 that he had been detained and taken to Minsk's Leninski district police department. Connection then failed.

Officers of the Leninski district police department said they didn't have such a detainee. The same was told by the Leninski district court and the detention centre.

Ales Pushkin held a performance recently. He came to the Supreme Court with a portrait of member of anti-Soviet resistance Rastislau Lapitski.

The artist filed an appeal against the decision of the Smarhon district court, which sentenced him to 10 days in custody for walking with the portrait of Lapitski in Smarhon in September.