Went out of the house – got a million fine

Slutsk activist Vital Amialkovich was fined, allegedly, for "stickers".

At the meeting of the administrative committee in Slutsk District Executive Committee Vital Amialkovich was found guilty of putting up stickers in the city, according to Human Rights Center "Viasna".

The case was heard by five members of the commission, including Yuri Skrigan, General Counsel of the District Executive Committee, and Andrej Zajiats, deputy chief of prevention and law enforcement department of Slutsk police.

Recall, Amialkovich was detained by police near his home at midnight on July 14. Slutsk district police officer, who did not identify himself, said that he saw how Vital was putting up stickers near the shop. At the police station district officer Ruslan Varabej filled a report with gross violations. In particular, he did not explain to Amialkovich his rights.

His rights were also not explained to him on June 19 during the familiarization with the administrative protocol. The trial, appointed for July 27, was not held for unknown for Vital Amialkovich reasons.

In the office of Slutsk district court he didn’t find anything. The activist was suggested to contact the police, and to clarify the situation.

First, Amialkovich was summoned to the meeting of the administrative committee.

Vital told to the commission everything about the events of that night, when he was detained: "the police officer was waiting for me near my home - at a great distance from the place where an unknown person pinned this stickers. It was dark, and he made a mistake, thinking it was me".

Even from the administrative commission Vital couldn’t learn the name of the policeman, who detained him. To question of the activist, who is accusing him, Andrej Zajiats replied, "Slutsk police department".  - "All the 200-odd policemen?",  – was surprised Vital Amialkovich.

During the meeting Vital has heard phrases like "We have known you long enough. We know what you are doing and who are you presenting. You are known to the whole Slutsk police".

In response the words of Amialkovich that he would like to see a policeman, who detained him, on the meeting and ask him a question, the activist was suggested to write a complaint to the police department.

Besides gross violations in the preparation of the protocol and the familiarization of Amialkovich with the protocol, at the meeting was highlighted another one. The accusation of the civil activist was changed without his participation: from part 2 of Article 21.14 of the Administrative Code to 21.14 Part 1 "breaking the rules of ordering of settlements".

Commission members voted to punish Amialkovich with a fine - 10 basic units (1 million BYR). Yuri Skrigan - General Counsel of the Executive Committee – was the only one who abstained. He noted that he is agreed with the Commission’s decision, but he decided to abstain, so the media could not connect this with the "elections"

Recall, Yuri Skrigan is a secretary of Slutsk District Election Commission. Vital Amialkovich is registered there as an observer from the BHC.

"I have realized that this commission is not a court. This is an organ that forces you to face the fact that you're guilty"- has summed up Vital.