Film director Volha Nikalaichyk fined 5.4 million rubles

The activist says the authorities made a “Hollywood thriller” out of a series of punishments.

It became known today that activist and film director Volha Nikalaichyk, who came to the court of Smailiavichy to support European Belarus coordinator Maksim Viniarski, was tried after the trial against Viniarski ended. Viniarski stood trial for allegedly insulting a police officer, whom he called a “vampire” after another activist, Leanid Kulakou, was not released from a detention facility on time.

Maksim Viniarski and Volha Nikalaichyk were fined 30 basic amounts (5.4 million rubles) each. The activist talked to charter97.org about details of the “thriller series”.

“I was at the trial against Maksim Viniarski for the second day,” she says. “He was issued a fine of 30 basic amounts. We got into the car to leave the town. A police car drove to us. Our car was blocked. I was told to visit the police department. I was questioned about the picket on the Mound of Glory, for which Leanid Kulakou had been tried. I attended his trial and met him outside the detention facility later.

I said I would not answer any questions, let alone without a lawyer. I wrote in the report that I hadn't violated anything, organised or participated in the pickets that violate the main law of Belarus. I gave the police to understand that everything I did was legal. They took me to the court. Leanid Kulakou's car was also blocked to prevent people in his car from attending my trial. A road police officer fined him 180,000 for far-fetched violations.

A part of people came to my trial earlier, and a part came later. The judge showed photographs from the websites charter97.org and Radio Svaboda and said I was in the photos. I answered I didn't recognise myself, the quality of photos was so low that you couldn't recognise anyone in them. The organiser of the pickets already served 7 days in custody, and I was present at his trial. I didn't say anything more. I filed a motion to conduct the trial in Belarusian, but the judge dismissed it.

I got a fine of 30 basic units, or 5,400,000 rubles. It is huge money for us. Opposition activists do not have permanent work. So, I cannot say I am happy.”

– Who heard the case?

– The case was heard by Kazlouski, but he didn't say his name. Maksim Viniarski's case was heard by Lina Barodzich. She issued him a fine of 30 basic amounts, because he allegedly called a police officer “vampire” when Kulakou wasn't released on time. It is like a Hollywood thriller!

– How do you explain this series of prosecution of opposition activists?

– Our authorities are pro-Kremlin, vassal and servile. We are jailed and fined for raising our white-red-white flag and the Ukrainian flag and wanting independence for our country. It is an outrage, but it is so. This is our reality. But we will continue to say that we exist, we are the Belarusians and that occupants must get out.