Two activists penalized over meeting with opposition politician Sevyarynets in Brest :: Charter'97 :: News

A judge of Brest`s Maskowski District Court on Tuesday imposed punishment on two activists charged with a minor civil offense over their meeting with opposition politician Pavel Sevyarynets.

As human rights defender Raman Kislyak told BelaPAN, Yury Bakur and Lyubow Pranevich were among some 30 people arrested at the meeting in Brest on August 19.

The two activists were found guilty of participation in an unauthorized event under Article 23.34 of the Administrative Offenses Code. Mr. Bakur was slapped with a fine of 93,000 rubels ($43) and Ms. Pranevich received a warning.

"The court started hearing the cases of the people arrested at the meeting with Pavel Sevyarynets on August 30," Mr. Kislyak said. "Five cases have been heard since. Three have been sent to the Maskowski district police department for the `elimination of flaws.` The court will hear the case of Yawhen Belasin, a member of the Belarusian Popular Front, on September 5."

At the meeting Mr. Sevyarynets was telling the activists about his new book, Letters from the Forest, when police officers burst into Brest`s Belarusian Popular Front office. Fourteen people were charged with a minor civil offense in connection with the meeting. Mr. Sevyarynets was sentenced to 15 days in jail on August 22.