Activist Fined For Her Stolen Belongings

The activist Tamara Zaitseva was found guilty, though that was her, who had her belongings stolen.

Kalinkavichy dweller Tamara Zaitseva, a member of REP trade union, told praca-by.info about her complicated situation.

– My son caused a traffic accident in December last year. His car was taken to a guarded car impound of CMC "Kalinkavichy Kommunalnik". Besides my son's things there were two bags of my belongings worth about 5 million rubles in the car – I was going to have a planned hospitalization.

In April, the court delivered its verdict: my son was sentenced to eighteen months in the colony and had to pay 10 million for moral damage to the victim. The car was confiscated. I decided that I had the right to pick up my belongings, finally, especially since they did not appear in the court verdict.

However, I learnt from the investigation file that allegedly there was nothing in the car. Although there is a photo, which shows that the car is packed to capacity.

I addressed the court, the CMC "Kalinkavichy Kommunalnik", the regional police department and the prosecutor's office, demanding to return back my belongings. In total, I have written 52 letters during the last months.

A criminal case was initiated upon the theft of my belongings. But it was suspended because the perpetrator had not been identified.

The Prosecutors proved the guilt of the Investigative Committee staff who had not made an inventory of the property in the car.

In the court, I was advised to file a statement of claim against the investigators for causing moral harm. But to file a civil case, I need an extract from the investigation file. And I am not given access to it.

The only thing that I could do was to address the reporters of the Kalinkavichy News. I invited them at the car impound and demonstrated them the formal replies given to me. I also carried a white-red-white flag and a placard "Bandits In Law, Give Back Our Belongings ".

The article wasn't published, but an administrative violation protocol was drawn against me and I was accused of holding an unsanctioned action.

At the hearing of the case I provided a certificate stating that my pension was very small. I said that I was in an extremely difficult financial situation and asked the court to sentence me to an administrative arrest rather than a fine in case I was found guilty.

However, the doctors provided a certificate stating that I had suffered a severe cold-related diseases not long ago. And the court charged me with a fine of 20 basic units.

Surely I have no money to pay such a fine. I had a part-time work as a guard, but I will definitely lose my job now.

I will appeal against the court's decision. It turns out that I was found guilty, though that was me, who had my belongings stolen.