Zmitser Dashkevich Arrested For 15 Days :: Charter'97 :: News

The leader of the Young Front Zmitser Dashkevich has been sentenced to 15 days of arrest by the court of Maskouski district. The young activist was arrested yesterday by riot policemen together with other activists who had gathered by the court of Maskouski district. The case of opposition activists Yury Radzivil was considered in the court. Thought there were no reasons for charging him, Zmitser Dashkevich was charged with violation of the Article 156 of the Administrative Code (petty hooliganism). Journalists and human rights watchdogs were not allowed to attend the hearing of Dashkevich’s case.

“It is obvious that Zmitser Dashkevich and other activists were detained in order to prevent any attempts to express public support to Yury Radzivil the practice of preventive arrests used in the run up to the presidential elections is repeated. Oppositionists are charged with violating Article 156, as it is easy to condemn a person with performing petty hooliganism. It is enough to have policemen’s evidence. And as the practice of trials over oppositionists shows, they tell untruths in the court easily,” the lawyer and human rights activist Ales Kalita said to the Charter’97 press-center, commenting on the sentence to Zmitser Dashkevich.

Besides, young activists Artur Finkevich, Alyaksei Straltsou and Krystsina Shatsikava are to stand trial today.