Monitoring of Criminal Cases Related to Presidential Election :: Charter'97 :: News

The first part of our monitoring of criminal cases is accessible at: http://www.spring96.org/en/news/3230/ The situation has changed quite a lot since the time that part was put on the web. Some of the cases were finished and the accused were tried and received different punishments. Here are only the cases that are still in progress. This part also includes all the new criminal cases that were brought in connection with the election.

1. Criminal case against Pavel Krasouski

In the city of Zhodzina the case for violation of article 369 of the Criminal Code (public insult of duty officials) was brought against the youth activist Pavel Krasouski, member of the initiative group of Aliaksandr Milinkevich. The case was brought for publication of satirical charges of the city`s authorities in the bulletin Naziralnik that was edited by Pavel Krasouski. These charges were also found during the search of his flat in December 2005.

Article 369 of the CC provides corrective fine, up to two years of corrective labor, up to six months of arrest or up to three years of personal restraint as punishment.

2. Criminal case against Uladzimir Khomichau and Maksim Kokarau

On 2 March it became known that Niasvizh District Board of Internal Affairs brought a criminal case on two activists of the Young Front for political graffiti. The case was brought on article 341 of the CC (defilement of buildings and corruption of property), that provides corrective labor, fine or up to three months of arrest as punishment. The case is on the stage of preliminary investigation. The youth activists were released under written undertakings not to leave Niasvizh.

3. Criminal case against Siarhei Biazmen and Siarhei Liashkevich

On 2 March in Shchuchyn the police searched the flats of Vasil Biazmen and Siarhei Liashkevich, local activists of the headquarters of the candidate to the presidential position Aliaksandr Milinkevich. In both cases the police confiscated all information carriers, some printed editions and documents from personal archives. Siarhei Liashkevich was kept in the investigative isolator of Shchuchyn for several days. He is suspected of preparation the mass actions that rudely violate the public order. The criminal case on part 3 of article 293 of the CC (mass riot) has been brought against him. We should remind that according to the latest amendments to the Criminal Code part 3 of article 293 (training or other preparation of persons to participation in mass riot, or financing and other material provision of such activity) provides up to six months of arrest or up to 3 years of personal restraint as punishment.

4. Criminal case against Anastasia Azarka

The criminal case was brought on 5 March 2006 by the Main Board of Internal Affairs of Minsk Regional Executive Committee on article 193.1 of the CC (illegal organization of activity of public association, religious organization or fund or participation in their activity). She is suspected in activity on behalf of the unregistered organization Young Front and participation in distribution of the printed materials with the ‘urges to fight against the present constitutional order and authorities`. The maximal punishment is 6 months of arrest or 2 years of personal restraint.

5. Criminal case against Iury Radzivil

Iury Radzivil, driver of the candidate to the presidential position Aliaksandr Kazulin, was detained by persons in plain clothes on 2 March 2006. Before this a person in plain clothes shot in his car from a pistol. Iury Radzivil is suspected in resistance to the police and usage of force against them. The case was brought on part 2 of article 363 of the CC (resistance to a policeman or other person that guards the public order).

At present Mr Radzivil is kept in the investigative isolator of Minsk. Human rights activists of Belarus think that in such a way the authorities want to justify the lawless actions of the worker of law machinery who used firearms in peaceful times with no grounds.

6. Criminal case against Andrei Panasik

The criminal case against the public activist of the town of Masty Andrei Panasik was brought on 11 March 2006 on article 193.1 of the CC (illegal organization of the activity of public association, religious organization or fund or participation in it). He is suspected in participation in the activity of the unregistered public initiative Partnership. The article provides up to 6 months of jail or up to 2 years of personal restraint as punishment.

7. Criminal case against Mikita Sasim

At 10. p.m. on 14 March the coordinator of the Zubr movement Mikita Sasim together with other activists of the movement (Nika Lazouskaia, Mikita Shutsiankou and Natallia Ushko) were detained near the tube station Pushkinskaia without any grounds. They were simply standing and talking there. Suddenly there arrived a bus of the riot police, the policemen pulled them in and drove to Minsk Frunzenski Borough Board of Internal Affairs. At the BBIA Mr Sasim felt bad. He was taken to 9th clinical hospital of Minsk and operated on appendicitis.

On 16 March the police came to the hospital and took Mikita Sasim for interrogation to Baranavichy City Board of Internal Affairs and then to Baranavichy city hospital. The criminal case for alleged evasion from military service was brought against him. It is the second attempt to bring such criminal case is brought against Sasim. The first time, on 5 December 2005, Baranavichy CBIA refused to bring such criminal case on the request of local military committee because of absence of evidence that Mr Sasim really evaded from the military service. However, this time the case has been brought.

8. Criminal case against Eduard Zeliankou

Homel Regional KGB Board brought a criminal case on suspicion in organization of the activity of unregistered public association and hooliganism against the activist of the Young Front Edvard Zeliankou, who is also a an active participant of the electoral measures of Aliaksandr Milinkevich`s campaign.

9. Criminal case against Mikalai Razumau

On 24 March, during the meeting of Aliaksandr Milinkevich with the electorate, Mikalai Razumau stated Lukashenka had relation to the murders of Viktar Hanchar and Iury Zakharanka. It was qualified as violation of part 2 of article 367 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Belarus. The criminal case against Mikalai Razumau was brought by the senior investigator Ie.Filipovich. Mr Razumau was taken to Minsk for psychiatric expertise. We should remind that Mikalai Razumau is one of the leaders of Orsha strike committee who in the beginning of the 1990-ies organized mass protests of workers, including blockade of the railway.

10. Criminal case against Siarhei Marchyk

on 10 April Baranavichy KGB Board brought a criminal case against the activist of the Young Front Siarhei Marchyk under article 193-1 of the CC - activity on behalf of unregistered organization. On 13 April the flats of Siarhei Marchyk, Andrei Iuruts and Viktar Kisliuk were searched. The investigation confiscated materials of the Young Front, democratic editions and private computer equipment. At present Iuruts and Kisliuk are only witnesses in the criminal case against Marchyk.