Figurant of ‘Process of 14’ Ales Straltsou gets chance to be amnestied

On 9 September Ales Straltsou received by mail a copy of the protest of the head of the Supreme Court of Belarus against the verdict, issued to him by Tsentralny district court of Minsk concerning the replacement of the personal restraint for him to corrective labor with exaction of 15% from the wage for the benefit of the state. It was also written in the letter that the protest had been directed to the presidium of Minsk city court.

Bear in mind that Minsk city court turned down Straltsou’s complaint in which he stated he had to be amnestied in conformity with the law on amnesty. Then the activist filed a review complaint with the Supreme Court. The human rights defender Valiantsin Stefanovich thinks this protest points at the possibility that soon Ales Straltsou could be amnestied. As far as Straltsou’s cassation complaint against the similar verdict of Tsentralny district court hasn’t been considered yet, the human rights defender believes that the earlier court rulings on mitigation of his sentence would be reviewed and abolished. Only then the department of penalty execution can apply to the court with the requirement to amnesty the figurants of the ‘Process of 14’ Straltsou and Charnyshou.

Bear in mind that on 22 April 2008 Ales Straltsou was sentenced to two years of personal restraint without direction to a penitentiary institution by Tsentralny district court, under Article 342 of the Criminal Code (organization of or active participation in the actions that grossly violate public order).