Fine of 5 basic units for poster “Freedom to Syarhei Kavalenka!”

Alena Semenchukova, who was detained with a poster “Freedom to Syarhei Kavalenka!” in the centre of Vitsebsk on March 20, has been fined 175,000 rubles.

The judge of the Chyhunachny district court, Alena Tsyhankova, found the activist of European Belarus civil campaign guilty of violating the law on mass events, Radio Svaboda reports.

“The girl did not deny she appears on Vitsebsk's most crowded street with a poster “Freedom to Syarhei Kavalenka!” But she did not agree she violated the law by her act. She said she had just executed her right to freedom of expression,” human rights activist Pavel Levinau, who attended the trial, said.

Alena Semenchukova is going to apply to the regional court to appeal against the decision to fine her 175,000 rubles (5 basic units).