In Trial over Partnerstva Activists Witness for Prosecution Interrogated :: Charter'97 :: News

On August 1 interrogation of witnesses continued at a closed trial in the case of activists of the civil initiative of elections observation “Partnerstva” in the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk. As the Charter’97 press center was told by relatives of the defendants, today almost all witnesses for prosecution have been interrogated in the court room. At the next session witnesses for defence should be questioned.

According to witnesses, the trial is held in a rather calm mode. There haven’t been any outrages during the court session. However after the break policemen tried to push people away from the building of the court. Families of the defendants had to obey the illegal demand and go away from the building.

According to the information of the family members, more than 20 witnesses were to give evidence at the session of the court. Some o them live in Belarusian provinces.

It’s the third day of the trial in the case of activists of unregistered organization Partnerstva (it started on July 28). It is still held behind the closed doors. Neither journalists nor foreign diplomats have been allowed to attend the court. Even family members have not been allowed to be present.

As is known, four activists of Partnerstva, M. Astrejka, E. Branitskaya, T. Dranchuk and A. Shalajka, were detained on February 21 and stayed in prison since that time. They are charged with organizing and leading a structure infringing rights and duties of citizens, which had not been registered by the state. The article envisages an arrest for up to six month or imprisonment for up to three years.