VITEBSK UCP MEMBERS FINED AND WARNED

On 12 September Vitebsk members of United Civic Party were found guilty of participation in unauthorized pickets. On 30 July Vitebsk UCP activists organized two unauthorized actions, timed to Lukashenka's birthday.
On 30 July seven UCP members came out with posters and national white-red-white flags. In some time the picket grew into a procession: the action participants headed along Zamkavaya Street, holding posters with slogans: "You didn't keep your promises – Time to Go!", "Give yourself a present – Leave yourself!". The police detained UCP members an hour after the action had begun.
During the trial all defendants acknowledged they consciously organized unauthorized actions. Judge Sviatlana Tufan ruled: to warn Aksana Krawtsova, Nadzeya Shakalis, Yawhen Kanstantsinaw, Alexander Kabiak, and Aleh Shulhin. Vadzim Krawtsow and Alexander Bakulin were fined 1.5 million roubles each ($815). The judge explained such ruling by the fact that Krawtsow and Bakulin had been tried for unauthorized actions before.