Authorities trying to intimidate entrepreneurs by arrests

12.01.2008, 11:39

The participants of the entrepreneurs’ rally, held in Minsk on 10 January, have trials today. Individual entrepreneurs were protesting against Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s decree, which deprives many of them of work since 1 January.

Desperate people blocked Independence Avenue, tried to break through to the President’s Administration and picketed the House of Government. The action participants were sentenced to 15 days of arrest and heavy fines. Most trials were closed.

Palina Kuryanovich, Alyaksandr Stsepanenka, Yury Barkun, Raman Bahdanovich, Alyaksandr Barazenka, Alyaksandra Lyndava, Igar Zhabarouski, Yan Mikhailau, Alyaksandr Vazhakou, Paval Vinahradau, Zorka A. Y.(only initials are known), Syarhei Klyueu were accused of “participation in an unauthorised event” and sentenced to 25 days of arrest in the court of the Maskouski district.

Anatol Lyabedzka, leader of the United Civil Party, who had come to support the entrepreneurs, was sentenced by the court of the Maskouski district to 15 days of arrests.

Anatol Shumchanka, leader of the republican public association “Perspektiva”, was sentenced to 15 days of arrest in the same court for participation in the action. By the way, it should be noted, that Shumchanka was present on the negotiations with the officials in the President’s Administration, when the rally was taking place. The negotiations were unsuccessful, the entrepreneurs failed to obtain cancelling of Lukashenka’s decrees, and Shumchanka was detained after an hour he had left the administration.

Uladzimir Shyla has been charged with violation of two articles of the Criminal Code and sentenced to 15 days of arrest and a fine of 1,750,000 rubles. The demonstrators have been found guilty of violation of two administrative articles: “participation in an unsanctioned event” (he was fined for that) and performing “petty hooliganism”.

As the Charter’97 press-center has been informed by lawyer Valyantsin Stefanovich, “it’s hard to understand why they have pass judgement this way. Why have they been charged with “petty hooliganism”? Over the recent years it’s a favourite trick of the regime. They want to show that there are no demonstrators here, only hooligans, as they put it”.

In the court of Tsentralny district Mikhail Pashkevich, Artsyom Dubsky and Andrei Radzinau were arrested to 15 days.

An activist Tatsyana Tishkevich was arrested to 20 (!) days. As Uladzimir Shyla, she was charged with violation of two articles, “petty hooliganism” and “participation in an unsanctioned meeting”.

The verdicts have been passed by judges of Maskouski district A. Husakova, E. Rudnitskaya, V. Audzeenka, N. Kuznyatsova, Y. Shastkou, V. Kazak, E. Fralova, E. Shylko, and the judge of Tsentralny district Tatsyana Pavlyuchuk.

27 persons have been arrested during the protest rally. Some of their names are known:

Raman Bahdanovich

Alyaksandr Barazenka

Paval Vinahradau

Maxim Dashuk

Pavel Drazdou

Syarhei Klyueu

Artur Kutsukho

Palina Kuryanovich

Mikhail Kryvau

Anatol Lyabedzka

Yan Mikhailau