400,000 ruble fine for calls for boycott

Opposition activist Barys Khamaida has been fined for a picket in Vitebsk.

The Chyhumachny district court of Vitebsk fined opposition member Barys Khamaida, who appeared on Lenin Street with a poster “Boycott illegal 'election' to the illegal house of representatives”, Radio Svaboda reports.

Khamaida was standing near the so called blue house on 29 Lenin Street for two hours. He was detained by police and taken to the Chyhunachyny district police department, where a report for an unsanctioned picket was drawn up against him. The activist thinks the detention and trial were illegal.

“The trial in the Chyhunachny district court was conducted by judge Alena Tsyhankova. I explained my position to her. I did not violate anything by standing with a poster during the election campaign. Yes, I called to boycott the 'election', but it is not forbidden. I didn't deny I had been standing with the poster. The judge didn't even question policemen. The judge left the courtroom after my explanations perhaps to ask someone's advice. She fined me 4 basic units. It was my first charge with picketing this year, so the fine wasn't big,” Barys Khamaida says.

Police refused to give the activist the poster  “Boycott illegal 'election' to the illegal house of representatives”.

It was the first pre-election poster in Vitebsk during this year's parliamentary campaign. Parliamentary candidates haven't started campaigning yet.