Belarusian Court Sues Hindu from Russia :: Charter'97 :: News

Russian national Natalya Solovieva was found guilty of violating the Belarusian legislation, regulating the implementation of assemblies, meetings, demonstrations and other actions. The decision was passed yesterday by the Central district court of Minsk for Natalya Solovieva’s part in an unsanctioned picket in the Belarusian capital.

On August 17 members of the Belarusian Hindu community of shaiva-shakts “Light of kailasa” staged a picket against the persecution of religious minorities in Belarus and draft law “On the freedom of faith and religious organizations”. Natalya Solovieva, responsible for the relations with other CIS Hindus, also took an active part in the protest and was apprehended by police.

In court the lady declared that her group’s leadership in Russia “is alarmed by the problems, faced by their Belarusian brothers, whose group can’t get registered for six years now and who are exposed to harsh pressure, exerted by the authorities”. At the same time, said Solovieva, she never really engaged in the action, let alone held banners in hands. However, police witnesses testified in court that they saw her singing religious songs. Director executive of the Belarusian Helsinki Committee Oleg Gulak, who was Solovieva’s personal representative in court, said that his defendant never violated the law, being present at the protest in observer’s capacity.

Judge Tatiana Pavluchuk found Natalia Solovieva guilty of unsanctioned picketing and reprimanded her. Expectedly, in the near future they will also try other Belarusian Hindu picketers, reports IA “Rosbalt”.