Syarhei Kavalenka faces 3 years of restriction of liberty for hanging out national flag

A sentence to the Vitsebsk activist for hanging out a national flag on a Christmas tree is to be pronounced today.

On May 13, the second day of trial over Vitsebsk activist of the Conservative Christian Party BPF Syarhei Kavalenka, the prosecutor asked the court to sentence the accused to three years of restriction of liberty. BelaPAN learnt this from Paval Sevyarynets, a co-head of the organizing committee of the Belarusian Christian democracy party.

According to him, the sentenced was to be delivered in the evening May 13, but Kavalenka said he was very tired to make his final statement. Judge Yauheny Burunau called for an emergency ambulance in order to examine the accused. Then the trial was postponed until morning May 14.

Kavalenka demanded three times to challenge the prosecutor, three times – the full court, four times – judge Yauheny Burunau. As the activist thinks, the court is on the site of militiamen, lieutenant colonel Andrei Ivanou, junior sergeant Maksim Maksimau and senior sergeant Vasily Palitsika, who claim Kavalenka disobeyed to them and committed an act of hooliganism, Radio Svaboda reports.

“The judge, the prosecutor and witnesses sing in unison. The ‘victims’ ask questions that bear no relation to the case. Colonel lieutenant Ivanou gives answers for the three militiamen. The prosecutor leads the witnesses, the judge looks through me when I am talking and denies all my motions,” Syarhei Kavalenka said.

The militiamen insist that Syarhei Kavalenka committed an act of hooliganism by hanging out a national white-red-white flag on a Christmas tree in Vitsebsk center. They demanded Kavalenka to pay compensation for moral damage, Br 10 mln to each. They said he had insulted them and delivered blows. They also say the activist hadn’t been beaten, though the medical examination showed Syarhei Kavalenka had injures.

Kavalenka, 34, was detained near the main Christmas tree in Vitsebsk after a national white-red-white flag had appeared there on January 7, 2010. A criminal case was opened against the activist. He is charged with violation of two articles, part 1 of article 339 (intentional actions that rudely violate the public order, express an evident disregard for the society; the punishment is up to three years of restriction of liberty) and article 363 (disobedience to a militiaman or any other person guarding the public order; the punishment is up to 5 years of imprisonment).

The trial over Kavalenka was to start on April 20 in the Kastrychnitski district court of Vitsebsk, but was postponed until May 12 due to the judge’s family circumstances.

It should be noticed that May 14 is the 15th anniversary of the referendum on changing the national symbols.