Blogger Aleh Zhaunou Successfully Achieves Abolishment Of Decision On Arrest

The case materials were sent for reconsideration.

The Mahiliou regional court on July 10 overturned the decision of the Babruisk court to bring activist and well-known blogger Aleh Zhaunou to administrative responsibility and sent the case materials back for a reconsideration, the website ucpb.org writes.

Aleh Zhaunou has already served 15 days of administrative arrest on charges of "disobeying the lawful demands of a policeman."

In May, the blogger was summoned to the internal affairs directorate of the Babruisk municipal executive committee for an interrogation in the framework of another administrative case, according to which the blogger was accused of "insulting an official" during the performance of his duties.

During questioning in the reception room, police officer Siarhei Rudko forbade Zhaunou to video-record the conversation. Subsequently, the blogger was accused of "disobeying the lawful demands" of a police officer and the case went to the court.

On June 13, judge of the Babruisk and Babruisk district court Tatsiana Tarabuyeva issued a guilty verdict for the defendant and punished him with 15 days of administrative arrest. The blogger appealed the judge's decision in the Mahiliou regional court, pointing out the numerous violations that took place during the entire administrative process, both in the police and in the court of first instance.

According to Zhaunou, the demands of the policemen to stop the video shoot were not based on any law, at the same time, according to the Code of Administrative Offences, during the administrative process, technical means may be used by the decision of the official of the body conducting the administrative process, and also at the request of other participants of the process.

"The right to defense was violated and there was a lot of violations of the procedural and executive legislation. I counted 51 violations, although there were much more of them during the entire administrative process. The police officers fabricated the case and were completely unafraid of this, believing that the judge will support them in illegal undertakings, " - Zhaunou said, noting that even the preparation of case materials for consideration was done in his absence.

"I did not even know that the administrative process was being conducted, and I learned about this only after I was summoned to the court on June 12 for the actual consideration of the case," - the blogger said.

"During the judicial examination there was a huge number of violations by the Babruisk judge, and a higher court drew attention to it," - Zhaunou said, adding that he was completely satisfied with the decision of judge of the Mahiliou regional court Siarhei Karaliou.