Yury Rubtsou appeared in court in T-shirt “Lukashenka, go away”

The trial over an opposition member of Homel was adjourned until 10 a.m. October 6.

The trial over activist Yury Rubtsou began today in Minsk's Tsentralny district court. According to investigators, he insulted judge of the Savetski district court Kiryl Palulekh, calling him a “rascal” on April 28. The case is heard by judge Natallia Vaitsekhovich. Yury Rubtsou filed a motion to replace the judge, but it was dismissed, Radio Svaboda reports.

Yury Rubtsou, judge Kiryl Palulekh and four witnesses gave evidence.

Rubsou pleads not guilty. He says he criticised the judicial system as a whole: all judges are dependent and work under employment contract and deliver unfair verdicts, so “all of them are rascals”.

Judge Palulekh said Rubtsou's remark was meant for him and that Rubtsou threatened to deal with him after the release.

Rubtsou claims he said that he would remain an honest person after the release, but the judge who delivers unfair decisions would be brought to account.

Four witnesses – three policemen and a secretary of court – gave evidence at the trial.

Riot police officers Sharko and Andrei Bely, policeman Pavel Neluibovich and secretary Darya Stasiuk confirmed the words of judge Palulekh, who said Rubtsou had insulted him.

Rubtsou says their evidence sound as if they were reading the same text. According to him, judge Kiryl Palulekh held the first trial behind closed doors, they fabricated court records and wrote he had insulted the judge, though his remark was about the judicial system as a whole.

Photo: nn.by