BELARUS NEWS AND ANALYSIS

DATE:

12/12/2007

Belarusian Authorities Sentence Organizers, Participants Of Vendors Protest

A Minsk district court on December 11 sentenced several activists for organizing or participating in an unsanctioned rally on December 10 against the presidential decree restricting the activities of small businesses (see "RFE/RL Newsline," December 11, 2007), Belapan reported. The court sentenced activists Viktar Harbachou and Viktar Kryval to 15 days in jail for organizing the rally, and Viktar Kaley and Alyaksandr Tsatsura received 10 days -- the former for organizing the rally and the latter for alleged foul language in a public place. Alyaksandr Makayeu was sentenced to seven days in jail for obscenities in a public place. Kryval, Kaley, Tsatsura, and Makayeu were among those who earlier applied to Minsk city authorities for permission to hold the rally. The same day, a court also sentenced Viktar Ivashkevich, deputy head of the Belarusian Popular Front (BNF), to 15 days in jail for obscene language, and young opposition activists Barys Haretski and Krystsina Shatsikava for participating in an unsanctioned rally to seven days in jail and to a 700,000-ruble ($325) fine, respectively. AM

Source:

http://www.rferl.org/newsline/2007/12/3-cee/cee-121207.asp

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