Verdict to Partnerstva Activists Can be Passed Tomorrow :: Charter'97 :: News

Today during the hearings of the case of the elections observation civil initiative Partnerstva held in the court of Tsentralny district of Minsk, lawyers Paval Sapelka, Valyantsina Shykhantsova, Maryana Myalezhka, Hanna Bakhtsina and Vera Stramkouskaya were made. Partnerstva activists Tsimafei Dranchuk, Enira Branitskaya and Alyaksandr Shalajka were the last to make statements. The contents of their and their clients’ statements are not disclosed, as they have signed a written undertaking not to disclose information of the closed trial. The trial is to continue tomorrow at 10 a.m. Mikalay Astrejka is to make the final statement. It is expected that the verdict would be passed tomorrow.

As we have informed, yesterday prosecutor Andrei Migun demanded to sentence the leader of the civil initiative of elections observation Partnerstva, Mikalay Astrejka, to 3 years of imprisonment; Partnerstva activists Tsimafei Dranchuk, Enira Branitskaya and Alyaksandr Shalajka to 2 years of imprisonment.

The public activists were detained in the run-up to the presidential elections, on February 21, and stayed in custody since than. They are charged with running an illegal organization which had not been registered by the state that “encroaches” on people’s rights. Under that article the accused could be sentenced to a term of from six months up to three years in prison. As we see, the prosecutor has demanded the harshest sentence under that article.

It’s a closed trial, neither journalists nor foreign diplomats have been allowed to attend the court. Even family members have not been allowed to be present.