Judge Motyl to activist: “I know you plead guilty”

Human rights activists learnt details about the secret arrest of Aleh Keral, an activist of Alternative, on August 5.

Aleh was going to help the mother of Illia Dabratvor, who was serving his term in the detention facility, to pass him a parcel. A police car drove to the detention centre's gate in the morning. Several riot police officers got out of the car, caught the activist for no reasons, pushed them into the car and took the Minsk's Maskouski district police department. Keral recognised the police officer, who had detained him earlier this year, Viasna human rights centre reports.

Keral was charged with disorderly conduct (article 17.1 of the Code of Administrative Offences) and failure to obey police officers (article 23.4).

His case was to be heard in the Maskouski district court by judge Tatsiana Motyl, who remained busy till the evening.

Keral was taken to the police station again. The police report for disorderly conduct was rewritten, but the second report on failure to obey police officers disappeared.

Judge Tatsiana Motyl held a quick trial on August 6. She did not allow Aleh Keral to present his arguments and said: “I know you plead guilty.” The activist, who was shocked by this cynic remark, was quickly sentenced to 10 days in custody.