Year of "home penal labour" for distribution of books

Prosecutor demands 12 months of "home penal labour" for Ales Yaudaha

The sentence will be pronounced in October District Court on July 10.

Book distributor Ales Yaudaha accused of doing business illegally has informed Euroradio about it.

Yaudaha: "The sentence will be pronounced on July 10 at 10 a.m. The prosecutor would like to restrict my liberty without imprisoning me  - so-called home penal labour".

Ales Yadaha may also be fined for 79 million roubles "to offset a disadvantage".

Let us remind you that he sent books written by famous Belarusian writers to different cities by post: Vasil Bykau, Uladzimir Arlou, Mikola Yermalovich, Ryhor Baradulin. The office of the public prosecutor decided that it was illegal business and sued him. The trial started last year and was suspended in November in connection with the necessity to conduct an expertise of the case papers. The trial was resumed in June. About 30 people have been interrogated (they had planned to interrogate 230!) and previous statements of about 80 people have been read out.