Trials for Freedom Day to take place in Minsk

Civic activists Nina Bahinskaja and Jan Melnikau will be brought to court today for celebrating the anniversary of the proclamation of Belarusian People’s Republic.

The consideration of the administrative case of Nina Bahinskaja (in the picture) will continue in the court of Moscow district.

During last court proceedings on 26 March she fainted. Ambulance took the woman to the capital’s 5th hospital.

Nina Bahinskaja was detained on 25 Match for praying under a white-red-white near Symon and Alena Cathedral. It was a traditional prayer which the relatives of political prisoners and civic activists traditionally hold near the sculpture of the Archangel Michael.

When the woman unrolled a white-red-white flag, policemen approached her. The activist was detained and taken to the Moscow district’s police department. There they took the flag and passport away from her and released until the next morning.

On 26 March Nina Bahinskaja came to Moscow district’s police department, where they were supposed to give her passport back. But instead of that a protocol was composed against her according to the article 23.34 of the Administrative Code – unauthorized holding of a mass event.  

The administrative proceedings against Jan Melnikau will take place in the court of the Soviet district.

On 25 March he unrolled a white-red-white flag and distributed leaflets with information about Belarusian People’s Republic and congratulated passersby on the Freedom Day. The action lasted for about 10 minutes. Jan Melnikau was not then detained by police. Yesterday at the Soviet district’s police department he was handed in a subpoena obliging him to show up at court.