Ukrainians Stay In Belarusian Prison :: Charter'97 :: News

Minsk city court has not complied with a request of the consul of Ukrainian Embassy in Belarus t release five Ukrainians detained for participation in unsanctioned protest action on April 26. This ruling has been made today at the court hearing.

As the chairman of Minks city court Mikhail Ardyako told to Interfax, “the appeal of the Ukrainian Embassy has been considered, however no reasons have been found for complying with their request”.

Press attach? of the Ukrainian Embassy in Belarus Leonid Yasinsky cited theruling of the court: “It has been established that they had taken part in the unsanctioned march, had not reacted to demands of policemen. The judge has assessed these facts in the right way and found these persons guilty of committing an administrative offence, for which liability is provided for”. It has been stressed in the ruling that the administrative sentence corresponds the transgression.

The press attach? refused to comment the fact that Russian citizens detained under analogous circumstances had been released last Saturday.

Thus, Ukrainian citizens are to be released after the expiration of the sentence (on May 5 and 6). The hearing of the appeal was to take place yesterday, on May 2, but the court postponed its revision without stating the reasons.

Five Ukrainian citizens still remain detained in the special detention center and continue hunger strike protesting against their illegal arrest.

The Ukrainians from the youth organization “National Alliance” together with Russian and Belarusian activists were detained in Minsk on April 26 for participation in unsanctioned protest action marking the 19th anniversary of Chernobyl catastrophe.

The court had sentenced the Ukrainians to 10 days of arrest, and one of them – to 15 days of administrative arrest.

Last Saturday the court has considered the administrative cased of 14 citizens of Russia, who were detained and arrested at the same time with Ukrainian citizens.

The Russians were granted early release and went home on Saturday.