Case against Statkevich and Us sent to court

A criminal case against presidential candidates Mikalai Statkevich and Dzmitry Us has been sent to the Court of Minsk today to lay the venue.

BelaTA information agency learned this from Syarhei Balasheu, the senior assistance to prosecutor of Minsk responsible for information and public relations.

On March 18, Mikalai Statkevich and Dzmitry Us were brought charges with organizing the so called mass riot on December 19, 2010, (part 1 of article 293 “Mass Riot” of the Criminal Code of Belarus).

Besides, a criminal case against Alyaksandr Klaskouski has been filed in the Court of Minsk. Klaskouski is accused under part 1 and part 2 of article 293, article 369 (Insulting a representative of the authorities) and article 382 (fraudulent imposition) of the Criminal Code of Belarus.

Prosecutors have also sent the cases against Alyaksandr Kvyatkevich, Dzmitry Bulanau, Andrei Paznyak, and Artsyom Hrybkou to the court. They are charged with violating part 2 of article 293.

Under “mass riot” BelTA, an official biased news agency, and Minsk Prosecutor’s Office mean a many-thousand peaceful protest demonstration against rigging the presidential election results held on December 19, 2010 and brutally dispersed by special purpose troops.