Secretive trial of Dankoff Club’s owner

Criminal trial of a businessman Jury Dankou starts in Minsk today.

It will be secretive and will take place in the court of the capital’s Moscow district. The proceeding will be led by Natalia Kuzniacova.

According to the counsel, who asked not to give his name, the court explains the secretive nature of Jury Dankou’s trial with the nature of the charges.

Investigation agencies charge Jury Dankou of committing the crimes according to seven articles of Belarus’ Criminal Code.

Among them is tax evasion in the period between January 2007 and September 2012, which caused especially large damage to the state in the total amount of over 918 million roubles; organization and maintenance of a house of prostitution in 2011-2012; the forgery of documents; drawing of women into prostitution; pornographic advertisements and public demonstration of pornography.

Jury Dankou was detained on 4 September 2012. On the day Dankoff Club was searched and other investigative actions were taken in the framework of the criminal suit, started by the Investigatory Committee against the venue’s arts director and administrator. They are suspected of providing the club’s premises for prostitution starting from 200. Dankoff Club’s arts director was also detained.