Minsk resident sentenced to 15 days for giving food to homeless

An activist of the Food Not Bombs campaign, Aliaksandr Kurts, was sentenced to 15 days in custody.

The case of Kurts was heard in Minsk's Partyzanski district court by judge Volha Paulouskaya. Road police officer Aliaksandr Hardziyenka. gave his evidence at the trial, Viasna human rights centre reports.

“He gives confusing evidence. He doesn't remember how Kurts was dressed and where his car was parked,” human rights defenders say from the courtroom.

Besides Kurts, Uladzimir Luhin, Aliaksandr Zubrytski, Yauhen Zubrytski and Alena Niamtsova were detained on May 17 as they were serving food to the homeless and poor in Mikhailauski Park in the centre of Minsk. The activists were taken to the Partyzanski district police station and fingerprinted. The car of one of the activists was searched. All but Kurts were set free without charges.

The food-serving campaign was launched in Minsk in three places eight years ago. The police didn't show interest in the campaign until 2014. Since February, the police detain volunteers, take them to a police station, verify their identification and allow them to go free.

Food Not Bombs is an international initiative of numerous independent groups sharing the principles of mutual help, solidarity and social justice.

Photo: Iryna Arekhouskaya