15 Days of Arrest For Defence of Workers’ Rights :: Charter'97 :: News

On May 6 in Homel youth activists Andrei Douzhyk and Yury Prapachou were sentenced to 7 days of arrest, and Alsana Serhienka to 15 days of arrest.

The case was studied in the court of Tsentralny district of Homel. Based on testimony by policemen, judge Maryna Tamnenka found all the three guilty. Two days spent in prison after detention were included in the term.

According to www.belngo.info, on May 1 A. Serhienka handed out leaflets “Razam” (about defence of workers’ rights) in the center of the city in Savetskaya Street. Her friends were nearby. Soon a policemen S. M Yafimenka, an officer of Tsentralny district police department of Homel, approached her. He had not presented himself or explained anything. He dragged Aksana in a car which didn’t have police signs. Seeing that Aksana’s friends A. Douzhyk and Y. Prapachou immediately came near to find out what was going on. They were detained and taken to the police department.

Reports were drawn in the police department of Tsentralny district of Homel. The young people were charged with “hooliganism”, “using foul language” and “disobeying demands of policemen”. Aksana was also charged with dissemination of printed materials without imprint. As there were two days off after the detention, the detainees were waiting for the court until May 3, However, the trial was postponed, and the detainees were released.