Syarhei Kavalenka’s case submitted to General Prosecutor‘s Office
7- 4.02.2010, 15:29
The oppositionist, who hung out a national white-red-white flag on a city Christmas tree in Vitsebsk, thinks the charges against him may be changed.
A lawyer of Vitsebsk activist Syarhei Kavalenka said the case had been submitted to the General Prosecutor’s Office, Radio Svaboda reports.
The member of the Conservative Christian Party BPF from Vitsebsk says he hadn’t got new information about his case fore the week: investigator Aksana Muravitskaya hasn’t called him, he has not been involved in investigative activities.
Syarhei Kavalenka thinks sending his case to Minsk may be connected with changing the accusation. The activist, who hung out a national white-red-white flag on the city Christmas tree on January 7, has been accused of violating two articles of the Criminal Code.
In particular, he was accused of violation part 1 of article 339 (intentional actions that violate public order or demonstrate disrespect to public, aggravated with use of force or a threat of using force or destruction of or damage to other people’s property, or described as being especially cynic (hooliganism)). He faces up to three years in prison under this article.
The activist is also accused of violating article 363 of the Criminal Code (disobedience to an officer of the law-enforcement agencies or another person protecting public order). Syarhei Kavalenka faced from two to five years of imprisonment under this article.
We remind that on January 7 a national white-red-white flag was hung out at the top of the 35-meter New Year’s Tree at Victory square in Vitsebsk. Syarhei Kavalenka, 34, was detained near the tree. On January 10, he was thrown into a temporary detention facility for two months on a decision of the prosecutor of Vitsebsk. A case under article 339, part 2 of the Criminal Code (repeated hooliganism, or committed by a group of persons, or connected with committing less serious bodily harm) was instigated against him. Under this article a punishment could be up to 6 years of imprisonment. On January 12 the oppositionist was released with a written undertaking not to leave the place.
After that event, militia began to arrest Vitsebsk oppositionists and search their apartments.
