Babruisk Pensioner: I Will Continue Active Protest Against Officials

Lyubou Sankevich has told why the officers of court so eagerly try to get into her apartment to distrain property.

The story of the 65-year-old woman from Babruisk Liubou Sankevich has become known after she carried out a single-person picket in the Freedom Square to protest against formal replies of the officials. Later, the Babruisk resident took part in yet another picketing in the center of Minsk, Solidarity writes.

The punishment from the authorities came very soon – in July, the Babruisk district court fined her for 20 base fees for participation in a non-sanctioned event, and then she was fined already for 30 base fees for the repeated participation in such action. Thus, the lady owes 50 base fees to the state, which makes about Bn 1 000 in the equivalent.

After the pensioner refused to pay the fine voluntarily in full scope, officers of court started visiting her apartment.

–For the first time, some lady came in late November, and now she came again, this time accompanied by three men. I think it was to frighten me. However, I told them there was no property which belonged to me in this apartment, that my son and his daughters live here. I refused to let them in once again,” – she has told.

The lady sincerely cannot understand what the Belarusian authorities are trying to punish her for – she spent just 20 minutes in the square in both cases and broke no public order.

Lyubou Sankevich came out to the square to protest because she couldn’t find justice against the local officials for many years. According to her, she worked as an accountant and caught the director of the Babruisk Plant of Tractor Parts and Fittings on corruption in 2001.

– I revealed that the former CEO of the Babruisk Plant of Tractor Parts and Fittings bought himself three apartments at cost and carried out an expensive redecoration thereof. I have a set of documents which confirm that 907 million of the budget money was stolen,” – she has said.

The director of the state enterprise wasn’t punished then, but the lady was fired. Having failed in finding justice in the years of court trials, the pensioner decided to come out to the square to attract the attention of the Belarusian society to the problems of justice in the country.

The woman also protested against the actions of the officials, who forced people pay extra money during the procedure of privatization of apartments and other housing.

–I didn’t break the law when I came out to picket. It’s the officials who break it. I am not afraid of saying out loud that we have a corrupted government – if there had been no corruption in the government, I would have stayed at home. I would have attended to the housekeeping, but the officials just force me to come out and protest. And I will,” – Lyubou Sankevich has said and added she will never let the authorities scare her off.