BPF LEADER KHADYKA DETAINED. ARRESTED PROFESSOR FACES UP TO 1 MONTH OF JAIL

BPF LEADER KHADYKA DETAINED. ARRESTED PROFESSOR FACES UP TO 1 MONTH OF JAIL

On June 16, 2003 people in civil clothes (having showed no documents) dragged professor Khadyka out of the personal car and told his wife they were taking him to court. Professor Khadyka was taken to Savetski borough court of Minsk. Judge Aksana Relava informed him she was going to try Khadyka for “disrespect to court”. Yury Khadyka appealed for an advocate. Judge Relava postponed the case to July 2. However, Khadyka was not let go. Instead, he was taken to Akrestsina jail to serve the sentence for participation in the People’ March on 12 March. On 12 May Judge Kazadayew considered his case in Khadyka’s absence, thus having violated the norms of the Code of Administrative Offences. This happened on the last day of a 2-month period, during which Khadyka could be held responsible. The decision of Savetski borough court was appealed against at Minsk City court, but it left the decision unaltered. Valantsin Stefanovich, lawyer of the Human Rights Center "Viasna", comments: “Now we are going to appeal against the decision to the Supreme Court. Let’s see what the Supreme Court will say. We need to prepare for the trial on July 2. It’s worth mentioning that the charge “disrespect to court” envisages up to 15 days of arrest… Thus, professor Khadyka faces the prospects of spending 30 days in jail”.
Yury Khadyka will stay in the detention center until 2 July, the day of the next trial.