The «Tovarishch» Newspaper Distributor Arrested in Baranavichy 14:42, 06/02/2007
The engineer of automated lines local factory, the oppositional Belarusian Communist Party member Mr. Viktar Tsiapin is arrested for distributing the “Tovarishch” non-governmental newspaper, which is founded by the BCP, in Baranavichy.
Mr. V.Tsiapin began distributing the “Tovarishch” newspaper in front of the factory entrance on February 2, at about 7 a.m. (before the beginning of a working shift). But a traffic police car drove up to him literally in several minutes, policemen arrested Mr. Tsiapin and took to the Baranavichy Internal Affairs Town Department.
According to the arrested, it was clarified that there are no misdeed in his actions, because the newspaper is officially registered, apologized and released him. The protocol on the arrest was not drawn up, and Mr. Tsiapin was given a reference for presentation on work that he had been in the police station from 7.15 till 9.00.
It should be reminded that it is the second arrest of the public activist already within the last two months.
Mr. Tsiapin was arrested by the policemen during the election campaign to Local Councils, when he was leaving the factory building after work. There were 200 copies of the “Belorusskiy Vestnik” unregistered edition in the bag, he was carrying.
As the public activist explained, he left the bag in the cloakroom and was going to distribute the copies to workers after work. Then a protocol was drawn up on Mr. V. Tsiapin.
And in January the Baranavichy Town Council administrative committee fined Mr. V. Tsiapin to the sum of 2 primary amounts on the grounds of the article 172 of the Administrative Code (“distributing printed editions, made with the breach of definite order, which do not have output data, the content of which is aimed on infliction to the state and public order, rights and legitimate interests of citizens...”)
Now Mr. V.Tsiapin appeals against the committee decision in the Baranavichy city court.
It should be noted that the offence provides for the edition distribution exactly and there is only the fact of its carrying in this case. It is also necessary that all the violations, mentioned in the article 172 of the AC, occurred to prosecute on it.
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