Maryia Tulzhankova taken to court right from state exam
25 March 2008 the 80th anniversary of Belarusian People’s Republic (so much disliked by the Belarusian authorities) was celebrated. Among other actions a historical excursion has been organized. Even this peaceful action was violently stopped by all-knowing police. Its participants were detained. Five of them served 7-15 days in jail.
Maryia Tulzhankova, one of the excursion participants, was detained by the police 25 April, while taking a state exam at the artistic college. They let her pass the exam and then guarded her to Navabelitsk district court , where she was sentenced to 7 days of jail by the judge Aleh Kharoshka.
On 2 May at 10 a.m. Maryia had another exam, but the arrest term ended at 10.40. ‘Fortunately, the teachers were quite loyal and waited for me. I passed the exam well. Near the prison I was met by about 20 persons with flowers and then had to hurry to my exam,’ Maryia said.
Two participants of the disrupted excursion are still serving their terms in remand prison in Homel: Uladzimir Niapomniashchykh was sentenced to 15 days of arrest and Siarhei Tryfanau – to 10 days.
According to M.Tulzhankova, the guards treat political prisoners well, but the nourishment is poor. ‘We feed our home cats better than that’, she added.
