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Trial Against Palchys Starts With Action In His Support

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Trial Against Palchys Starts With Action In His Support
PHOTO: RADIO LIBERTY

(updated) The street action under the white-red-white flags is taking place at the building of the Minsk city court.

A closed trial against blogger Eduard Palchys, the founder and the author of the website 1863x.com, has started in the Minsk city court today, on October 14, at 10 a.m.

The press has not been admitted to the court hall due to the reason there is ‘no permission’.

Several dozen people have come to the court building to support Eduard Palchys with the white-red-white flags and posters ‘Freedom to Palchys!’ Among the present there is President of the human rights center ‘Viasna’ Ales Bialkiatski, coordinators of the ‘European Belaruis’ civil campaign Yauhen Afnahel and Maksim Viniarski, ‘Young Front’ leader Zmitser Dashkevich, Co-Chairman of the steering committee for creating the party ‘Belarusian Christian Democracy’ Pavel Seviarynets, leader of the entrepreneurs’ union ‘Solidarity’ Mikalai Autukhovich, activist of the movement ‘For Freedom’ Ales Lahvinets, the political prisoner’s wife Victoria Palchys, and his parents. Radio Liberty is covering the action in support of Eduard Palchys live.

Before the trial started, the activists unfolded their posters and the white-red-white flags and started chanting ‘Long Live Belarus!’, ‘Freedom to Palchys!’, ‘Independence!’, ‘Eduard, we are here for you!’, ‘Hold On!’

The police tried to draw charges against the participants of the action. They have been met with chanting ‘Shame!’ and ‘Down with Police State!’

PHOTO: RADIO LIBERTY

Palchys’ parents thanked the activists, the human rights defenders and the independent media, including charter97.org, for the support of their son.

Human rights defender Tatsiana Raviaka, who is in the court hall, has informed that the trial started 20 minutes later because Eduard Palchys’ lawyer Hanna Bakhtsina was not admitted to the court hall.

"Lawyer Bakhtsina couldn’t get into the court hall on time as they demanded she should show them a subpoena. She was outraged and couldn’t get it why a lawyer should show anything to get to the trial of her client."

The action near the building of the Minsk city court lasted for about two hours. After most participants left, Pavel Seviarynets and the entrepreneurs’ leader Ales Makaeu stayed to picket the court with the white-red-white flags.

PHOTO: RADIO LIBERTY

Four activists have joined Makaeu and Seviarynets. The action near the court building has continued, six people are taking part thereof.

PHOTO: RADIO LIBERTY

We remind, Eduard Palchys, known in the internet as Jhon Silver, published the materials providing critical assessment of Russia’s policy towards Belarus and Ukraine, at his website. In the beginning of the year, he was arrested in Russia and extradited to Belarus.

The blogger is charged under Part 1 Article 130 ( ‘incitement to racial, national or religious enmity or antagonism’) and Part 2 Article 243 (‘distribution of pornographic materials’) of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus. He faces up to 5 years of limitation of liberty under the first article, and up to 4 years of imprisonment under the second one.

Human right defender recognized Eduard Palchys as a political prisoner.

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