Fines for collecting signatures to support political prisoners

Activists of the Belarusian Christian Democracy party, Halina Karzhaneuskaya and Inna Loika, were fined three basic units by the Savetski district court of Minsk.

As BelaPAN learned from BCD executive secretary Dzyanis Sadouski, the court found both guilty of participating in an unsanctioned picket to collect signatures in support of political prisoners.

Sadouski noted reports on administrative offences were drawn up against Karzhaneuskaya and Loika on August 8 for participating in an unsanctioned mass event. Officially, the pickets were held to collect signatures to nominate Maryna Khomich as a candidate, but in real case, activists collected signatures to support political prisoners.

“Collecting signatures to release political prisoner annoys the authorities not less than the campaign to boycott the 'election'. The police reports show that the authorities fear that people will be informed about political prisoners. They saw how actively people put their signatures and demonstrated their solidarity,” Sadouski said.