Authorities afraid of communities “Stop Fear” and “Stop Tax”

Participants of communities on social networking websites call to take part in weekly protests.

Anton Kastsou, a member of the United Civil Party who was detained for three days for alleged violations of organising a mass event, wants to appeal against the decision of the Kastrychnitski district court of Mahilou.

Kastsou filed a complaint about the jail administration to the city prosecutor's office.

The activists says he was placed in a cell with a Ukrainian national, who had a criminal charge and waited for the deportation. Under Belarusian laws, those serving administrative terms cannot be placed in a cell together with people having criminal charges.

“I admit they did it on purpose to give me a lesson. But I also admit the jail administration doesn't know laws. I didn't have problems with the criminal. He didn't understand why I was jailed,” Anton Kastsou told Radio Svaboda.

The UCP member was punished for his messages in the communities “Stop Fear” and Stop Tax 2” on VKontakte social network. Members of the communities called to hold weekly protests. The first protest action took place on December 27.

Anton was summoned to a police station on December 24 and charged as a participant of a mass event. The protest communities were closed on the same day. The police seized Kastsou's computer allegedly for a check.

On December 26, he was summoned to the police station again and charged with “organising a mass event”. He was taken to a court and sentenced to 3 days in a detention facility.

Another Mahilou resident is accused of violating the rules of organising a mass event. Aliaksandr Simanovich is mentioned in a report by major Zaitsau to colonel Kavalchukk from the Mahilou regional police department.

According to a police report, Simanovich spread a form on the Internet informing about coordination of actions during protests. Police say the actions by Kastsou and Simanovich were destructive and dangerous for public order. The Internet communities had more than 70 members, according to police.

Mahilou human rights defenders are trying to clear out the fate of Simanovich.